Mr William Ambrose Gell Kneale, FRPharmS, of 9 East Mount, Wheathampstead, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL4 8BJ, died on December 26, 1999. He was a former senior member of staff of the National Pharmaceutical Association, serving as local organisations officer and liaison secretary for European Community matters.
Will Kneale registered in 1937 after an apprenticeship on the Isle of Man, his homeland, and study in Manchester. He worked at first in Liverpool, where he became the only employee representative on the council of the Liverpool Chemists Association. During the war he served as a pharmacist in the Merchant Navy, and after the war he volunteered for work in the post-war economic reconstruction of Germany, where he became involved in organising meetings and exchanges of people from all over the world and in training German students.
Mr Kneale's NPA career started in 1970 with his appointment as local organisations officer. Shortly afterwards, he also became the secretary of the employers' aside of the Joint Industrial Council for Retail Pharmacy, a post that involved him in regular negotiations with the trade union side. In addition, he took on the task of establishing working relationships with key figures in the major pharmaceutical manufacturers and wholesalers, which enabled him to act as a conciliator in disputes between pharmacists and their suppliers. In 1972, with Britain preparing for membership of the European Community, he was given the additional post of European liaison secretary. Another post he took on was that of secretary of the NPA distress fund, helping NPA members and their dependants who fell on hard times.
Mr Kneale retired officially in September, 1983, although the NPA retained his services as its European consultant and liaison secretary, in which capacity he continued for some time as one of its delegates to the EC Pharmacy Group.
Mr Kneale was designated a fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society in 1978 for distinction in the profession of pharmacy.
Mr JOSEPH WRIGHT (former director, NPA Group) writes: Will Kneale impressed me at our first meeting in the spring of 1970 with his zest for life. He came to Mallinson House for interview for the post of local organisations officer with a view to his taking over when James McClenahan would retire a year later. Will told me that after qualifying in 1937 he had managed a pharmacy owned by Alderman John Tristram (a former President of the Pharmaceutical Society and former chairman and treasurer of the then National Pharmaceutical Union).
On the outbreak of war in 1939, Will joined a troop ship in its dispensary on journeys throughout the world. Subsequently he played a part in rehabilitation and reconstruction work in Germany, during which period he met and married his Swiss wife, Aline, and acquired fluency in the German language. His positive, friendly approach to life and his thoroughness in work generally immediately endeared him to the staff at Mallinson House and to branch secretaries and NPA members throughout Britain.
And he made good use of his past experience when he took over as secretary of the employers' side of the Joint Industrial Council for Retail Pharmacy. But it was when the Common Market discussions began, that Will's ability to speak fluent German and his enthusiasm for Europe proved to be such tremendous assets. I clearly recall one occasion in Bonn at the offices of my (then) opposite number in Germany, I asked a question and the reply, unexpectedly in English, was automatically translated into German by Will who was sitting by my side!
Will was the NPA's EEC liaison secretary until he retired in 1983, by which time he had produced many reports for the NPA board on aspects of pharmacy in the Community. During that period - and again it was typical of the thoroughness that he brought to his work and to life generally - he studied part time with the Open university and achieved a high pass grade in its European Economic Community course.
His designation as a fellow of the Society in June, 1978, was a fitting tribute to all the good work that he had done on behalf of the profession, particularly in European affairs.
It may be of some comfort to Aline to know that the thoughts of pharmacists throughout Britain and on the Continent, of those at Mallinson House who knew him, and of my wife Peggy and myself, are with her at this sad time.