Born: 
26/05/1932
Died: 
26/01/2006
Specialty: 
Respiratory/Thoracic Medicine
Designatory Letters: 
MB St And 1956, MRCP Edin 1961, MD Dund 1969, FRCP Lond 1977, Fellowship 1973

After house jobs and national service, Peter held various posts in Dundee and Edinburgh before obtaining a scholarship to Magill University for lung function research. On return he became senior registrar in medicine to Sir Ian Hill and in 1968 he became consultant physician with an interest in respiratory medicine in Northampton and remained there until retiral.

He was the first physician in Northampton to combine general medicine with respiratory Disease and set about the integration of the chest department with other hospital services. The peripherally sited chest clinic was moved to a site opposite the General Hospital and the outmoded in-patient facilities at Creaton hospital were moved to a more central site at Harborough Road Hospital, within the town boundary. Sadly these beds were later lost also because of financial cutbacks and Peter much regretted the loss of dedicated chest beds, a facility that ironically seems likely to return now. He also played a part in the further transfer of the clinic to a new site centrally situated within the DGH. The care of patients with chronic obstructive airway disease was a particular interest of his and he was a pioneer of home nebuliser therapy. Peter was also responsible for setting up the first pulmonary function laboratory in the area and took a close personal interest in the details of its running.

He had a keen interest in medical records from his days as a junior doctor and served for many years as chairman of the appropriate sub-committee in Northampton. A man of forthright and sometimes unorthodox views, nevertheless his friendly and chatty manner in clinics endeared him to his patients.

He was a superb amateur musician, participating in local choirs and orchestras and had an ability to play a wide variety of instruments from the church organ to the bagpipes. Peter never married. He is survived by his twin sister and elder brother.