In Memoriam: John Seddon Hopkins, Anthony John Hall

John Seddon Hopkins 4th March 1930 – 22nd November 2019

John Seddon Hopkins was born in Hamilton New Zealand in 1930. His father was a General Surgeon in practice in Hoki-Tikka. Following the sudden death of his father a year after his birth, John’s mother returned to Yorkshire with him. He attended Huddersfield Grammar School and later Epsom College. At both schools he excelled academically and in all sports, particularly boxing. At Epsom College he became the Surrey County Junior Boxing Champion. He won a scholarship to study Medicine at Barts, where he later won the anatomy prize. After house jobs at Barts he was called for National Service where he became a Medical Officer in the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. Most of his service was spent in Korea. After obtaining his FRCS in 1960 and deciding on a career in Orthopaedics, he worked at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry. During this period he worked under the tutelage of Sir Reginald Watson Jones and Sir John Charnley. He later moved to the Woodlands Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham and subsequently became Senior Registrar at Leeds General Infirmary. In 1968 he was appointed Consultant at Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital and Mansfield General Hospital. As a Consultant at Harlow Wood he developed a special interest in Bone Tumour Surgery and treatment. He was a dedicated surgeon and well respected colleague throughout his career.

Away from work John was a devoted family man, and after retirement moved to Buckinghamshire to be closer to his children and grandchildren. He loved to garden, visit places of historical interest and travel; returning on several occasions to New Zealand. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carmel, and his three daughters and two sons. n

Anthony John Hall 27th February 1938 – 17th February 2020

Anthony ‘Tony’ Hall was born in Hull and educated at Harrogate Grammar School. He qualified in medicine at University College London in 1962. Having passed his FRCS in 1968, he moved to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore as Orthopaedic Registrar and then Senior Registrar between 1968 and 1972. In 1972 he was appointed Orthopaedic Fellow at Toronto General Hospital in Canada. He returned to the RNOH before taking up a consultant post at Charing Cross Hospital in 1973. In 1990 he moved to the new Chelsea and Westminster Hospital where he stayed until he retired from NHS practice in 2001. He held the position of Honorary Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Royal Marsden Hospital between 1985 and 2001 and was a Medical Member of the Pensions Appeal Tribunal from 1996. Alongside his clinical work he had a busy career in medical education. He was appointed Postgraduate Sub-Dean at Charing Cross Hospital Medical School in 1978 and was honoured with the role of President of Medical School Rugby Club. He was the Regional Advisor in Orthopaedics for NW Thames from 1987, becoming Chairman of the North Thames Regional Training Committee in 1992. He was appointed to the Court of Examiners of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1985 and as an Examiner for Final & Master’s Degrees for the University of London in 1993. He became Member of Council of the British Orthopaedic Association in 1989 and BOA Representative to the Specialty Advisory Board from 1991 - 1993. He was Chairman of the organising committee of the BOA Meeting at Wembley in 1992.

He was also a passionate member of SICOT (Société Internationale de Chirurgie Orthopédique et de Traumatologie) connecting him with many colleagues and friends across the world. He was a member of the organising committee of the SICOT Congress London 1984, a National Delegate between 1990 and 1993 and General Secretary between 1993 and 2002. He was Deputy Editor of International Orthopaedics from 1987 - 2013, serving alongside this role on the Editorial Board. He continued to work as Chief Examiner for SICOT from 2002 until recently. He died peacefully at home in Hampshire on 17th February aged 81. He is survived by his wife Avis; his three children; Simon, Charles and Julia and six grandchildren. n