John Pauffley (OW 1943)

(28 June 1926 – 12 February 2022)

We have been informed by John’s daughter Clare that John died on 12 February at the age of 95. John came to MCS on a scholarship and went on to study medicine at University College Oxford and The London Hospital before becoming a GP in Chelmsford, Essex where he lived until his death.  We send our condolences to Clare and John’s other family and friends.

The following obituary is provided by his daughter Clare.

In 1943 John studied Medicine at University College Oxford, before transferring to The London Hospital in Whitechapel in 1945, where he also played rugby and rowed. The rowing eight were quite successful, winning several regattas and the first London Hospital team to go to Henley Regatta, funded by a whip-round from the nurses at The London.

Qualified in October 1949 and started his House Officer job at Poplar Hospital, which in those days paid an annual salary of £350 with free accommodation and meals. Although he had phone contact with Dr Bomford, his consultant, he was left alone in charge of the Medical and Children’s wards. On the first day, he was asked to give an anaesthetic to a child, not having given one before, which luckily was in order.

His next move was to St James Hospital Balham (Oct 1950-March 51) where he was House Surgeon to Norman Tanner, a well known gastric surgeon who operated at breakneck speed. After locum postings in Guildford and on the Isle of Sheppey, John was called up for National Service in the RAF.

After postings in Calshot and St Mawgan, John was posted to Abu Sueir in Egypt, arriving on the Georgic. After stints in Habbaniya, near Baghdad, he moved to Sharjah. At that time oil riches had not reached Sharjah and only the Sheikh had a car. The Sheikh of Abu Dhabi invited the officers for a fishing trip on his dhow – no one was more surprised than John when he felt a tug on his line and caught a monster fish, which was cooked that evening and fed 30 people.

In 1953, John started a house job in gynaecology & obstetrics at St James, Balham, followed by GP training in 1954 with Dr Aldridge who practised in Bromley and a position with Dr Alavoine who practised in Leytonstone. In October 1955 he started as an assistant to John Macbeth in Chelmsford and became a partner in due course. He retired from General Practice at the age of around 65, but still continued to work at Chelmsford Crematorium well into his eighties. Despite being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease when he was 80, John cycled to the crematorium from his home in Chignal St James, until he was no longer able.

He is survived by his wife, 3 children and 6 grandchildren.