Arthur Wall was born on 10 April 1917 in Hulme, Manchester, the son of Arthur Wall, a pharmacist, and Bertha Elizabeth Pack. He was educated at Old Trafford High School and received his medical education at the University of Manchester Medical School. In his preclinical years he was awarded the Tom

George Tutton was born in Stockport, Lancashire, on 11 May 1913, the son of a company director and his wife Eleanor Gertrude, née Bailey. He was educated at King William's School on the Isle of Man and at the University of Manchester, where he qualified with the MB in 1939. He did several resident s

Charles George Drake (Charlie), neurosurgeon, was born on 21 July 1920 in Windsor, Ontario. His father had died of Spanish influenza two months earlier. He was educated locally, but later moved to London, Ontario, receiving his medical education at the University of Western Ontario, from which he gr

‘You can teach a monkey to operate, but you can’t teach a monkey when not to operate.’ Many, especially on the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies’ training courses, will remember John Garfield’s pithy one-liners. That was the epitome of John – serious, but everything had to be fun and w

Douglas Phillips (or Dougie to those fortunate enough to be close to him) was a consultant neurosurgeon and surgeon in charge of the regional neurosurgical unit in Bristol. He was born in New Zealand on 6 May 1912 in Kumara, Westland and obtained his MB ChB in 1935. His house officer appointments we

Kevin Bleasel graduated in Medicine from the University of Sydney in 1946 and was appointed as a Resident at St Vincent’s Hospital to Douglas Miller. In 1951 he achieved his FRCS in General Surgery and after completing general surgical training he undertook training at The National Hospital for Nerv

John Blundell was a neurosurgeon and founding director of neurosurgery at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. This is a draft obituary. If you have any information about this surgeon or are interested in writing this obituary, please email lives@rcseng.ac.uk

Matthew Crocker was a consultant neurosurgeon at the Atkinson Morley department of neurosurgery, St George’s Hospital, London. He was born on 6 August 1976 to Elizabeth Crocker née Norton and Simon Crocker. Simon was a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist in Norwich, where Matthew and his siste

Peter Gortvai, the only son of William, an obstetric surgeon and his wife Elizabeth, née Foldi, LDSRCS, was born on 1 December 1927. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, where he completed his Natural Sciences Tripos in 1951 and won the Tripos prize. He then went to the London Hospital from 1951

Bernard Crymble was born on 6 May 1928, and after early education was admitted to the University of Durham Medical School, qualifying in 1951. After house appointments at the Royal Victoria Infirmary he joined the RAMC for National Service. After demobilisation he returned to Newcastle as demonstrat

Richard Johnson was born on 30 June 1912 in Manchester, the son of Herbert Johnson, a company secretary, and Grace, née Rose. He was educated at King's School, Macclesfield and in 1932 was awarded an Exhibition to Downing College, Cambridge, where he obtained first class honours in the natural scien

Brodie Hughes was born in Broadstairs, Kent, on 21 September 1913, the son of E T C Hughes, MRCS, assistant medical superintendent of Lewisham Infirmary. He was educated at Eastbourne College and University College, London, before going to University College Hospital for clinical studies. He qualifi