Sir John Peel, KCVO, FRCOG, FRCS, FRCP

Though Sir John was not a Fellow of our College we are proud to pay tribute to a great man of medicine. Born: 10 December 1904, he died aged 101 on 31 December 2005. The son of a Methodist minister he went to school in Manchester did his pre-clinical studies in Oxford followed by clinical years at King’s, London. He subsequently returned there to further his study of obstetrics and gynaecology and two years after gaining his membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists he was appointed consultant and worked there for the rest of his life, achieving fame assisting Sir William Gilliat delivering Princes Charles and Princess Anne. With the death of Sir William in 1956 Peel became the senior obstetrician at the births of Princes Andrew and Edward and was knighted in 1960. His principal research interest was diabetes in pregnancy but he will also be remembered for his support for the Abortion Bill when he was president of the RCOG, his presidency of the British Medical Association and of the Family Planning Association and his contribution to many government committees. His hobbies extended from his Friesian cattle farm to salmon fishing on the Spey. Friends and colleagues will long remember his 100th birthday lunch attended by most of the ex-presidents of the RCOG and many of his hospital colleagues, treated to his delightful reminiscences.