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Medical Graduates of 1963

Reunion of Graduates of 1963

 

A 50 year reunion is a very special occasion. Forty seven of the year of 1963, and many of their partners, celebrated this in style in September.

 

We remembered in a silent moment those who had passed on: David Baum, Carole Bishop, Griff Gwilliam, David Josephs, Jill Lovesey, Brian Nelson, Jim Phillips, Manilal Raichura, John Robson and Graham Wilcox.

 

We gathered at the Crowne Plaza at the end of Broad Street and after lunch on Friday had a talk and a tour of the city, expertly led by Mr Chris Gait, a retired Orthodontist and an official Birmingham guide. We saw the many changes since the 60s. Underpasses, pedestrianisation, large concrete buildings, a new Bull Ring and so on.

 

Ken Peterson, Mike Ameli and Prakash Shah had all been distinguished surgeons in Canada. Simon and Judith Powis had successful and long careers in Surgery and Practice in Northampton. Dave Roberts had continued as an inveterate climber, Selwyn Goodacre still an aficionado of Lewis Carroll, Howard Lee and John Burgess performing on local stages in operas and plays, Sally Kerr becoming an expert plants woman, Dale Green taking Sheffield and Leicester by storm with his great support of all things sporting, Dick Herbert probably still driving a fast sports car, John Hawkins sailing, book binding and singing. Jennifer Burton, who was always a quiet and uncomplaining student, remained exactly the same and was an example to all by her perseverance in spite of her long-term illness. She even offered to participate in a wheelchair Grand Prix at our subsequent dinner! Rodney Cartwright appears to have turned into a plumber but authored a Golden Booklet of what we had all been up to.

 

Saturday and was marked as a special day visiting our old haunts. We climbed the steps of the Medical School which seemed a little higher now, and a surprising entrance into the medical school which required negotiating a turnstile….…. back to Villa Park!

 

Not only were there many changes in the building but as Professor Mike Gammage (Vice Dean for Medical Education) explained this also applied to the curriculum. The annual intake of students has risen to 400. There is now emphasis on an early introduction to clinical studies but many of us wondered if 18 year olds were really ready to participate with patients at that stage of their studies.

 

Then to the new QE, what a magnificent entrance area, there seemed to be no rush, no disorder and a pleasant open space for patients to be received. The vastness of the whole enterprise was apparent when we learned of the great numbers of Intensive Care beds and facilities in Accident and Emergency. We learnt of the expert treatment provided for injured Service men and women coming back from Afghanistan or other battle areas.

 

The excellent adjacent facility of Fisher House, provided for patient and family residence of those injured during their treatment in the QE.  We were able to support this worthy enterprise with donations of over £300.

 

Back to the hotel, a quick snack, drink and rest before our celebration dinner. Attired in formal dress, memories were exchanged in what was indeed a most happy occasion. Wlod played his accordion but the songs were a little less risqué than we performed when we were students.

 

A magnificent weekend we hope  to repeat in Montreal or Toronto  in 2018.

 

Attendees:

  • Mike Ameli

  • Hilary Andrews (Goodall)

  • Barbara Armstrong

  • John Ball

  • Clem Brown

  • John Burgess

  • John Burman     

  • Jennifer Burton

  • Rodney Cartwright

  • Sim Choong

  • Maurice Coope

  • Clive Dash

  • Maureen Davies (Dalton)

  • Pete Exon

  • Roger Fairweather

  • Terry Gibson

  • Selwyn Goodacre

  • Dale Green

  • Keith Harding

  • John Hawkins

  • Dick Herbert

  • Eric Hewinson

  • Wlod Holweger

  • Sally James (Kerr)

  • Hugh John

  • Lynn Jones

  • Dave Lees            Charles Mackie

  • Jennifer Milne (Barnsley)

  • Yashvant Panchmatia

  • Ron Parker

  • Shashi Patel

  • Ken Peterson

  • Judith Powis (Thompson)

  • Simon Powis

  • Majid Qureshi

  • Anne Rawlins(Pedrazzini)

  • Dave Roberts

  • Prakash Shah

  • Bill Shaw

  • Peter Sheldon

  • Sujeet Sira

  • Carol Starkie

  • John Thomlinson

  • John Thornton

  • Halina Twardzicki

  • Margaret Wright (Osborne)

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