The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7157 p105-106 July 21, 2001

The Society

Obituaries & tributes

Bowie On 31 May, Ernest Bowie, of “Hillview”, Balmore, Torrance, Glasgow. Mr Bowie registered in 1928 and retired from the register earlier this year. Foster On 13 June, Harold Ralph Foster, MRPharmS, of 28 Willow Park, 1 Park Road, Poole, Dorset BH14 0JP. Mr Foster registered in 1933. Grant On 30 May, Brian Charles Austin Grant, MRPharmS, of 45 The Glade, Shirley, Croydon, Surrey CR0 7QG. Mr Grant registered in 1957. Hamlet On 2 June, Peggie Mary Hamlet, née Dyer, MRPharmS, of La Moutoniere, Rue Cotelle, St Martin, Guernsey, Channel Islands. Mrs Hamlet registered in 1925. Hastings On 8 May, Albert Wesley (“Pat”) Hastings, formerly of 96 Bryn Cwnin Road, Rhyl, Clwyd, aged 89 years. Mr Hastings registered in 1934 and retired from the register earlier this year. After an apprenticeship with Boots The Chemists in Leicester, he worked for the company as a manager or relief manager in various parts of England and Wales. He retired from Boots in 1976 after 45 years’ service, but continued to work part-time for Owen D. Timothy Ltd in Rhuddlan, Clwyd, until 1991. Hocking On 21 August 2000, David Arnold Reynolds Hocking, MRPharmS, of 123 Koola Avenue, Killara 2071, Australia. Mr Hocking registered in 1968. Marshall On 27 May, Alexander Marshall, MRPharmS, of “Ryvoan”, 3 Logie Lane, Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire FK9 4SB. Mr Marshall registered in 1939. Metcalfe On 13 May, Henry James Metcalfe, FRPharmS, of Dulas Court, Ewyas Harold, Hereford HR2 0HL. Mr Metcalfe registered in 1933. Morris On 6 April, Leslie Joshua Morris, MRPharmS, of 53 Alexander Avenue, Torbay, Auckland, New Zealand. Mr Morris registered in 1951. Roberts On 5 June, Hugh Vincent Roberts, MRPharmS, of “Gullivers”, Main Street, Tugby, Leicester. Mr Roberts registered in 1937. Scott On 19 June, Harold Scott, MRPharmS, of “Erskine Hall”, Watford Road, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 3PA. Mr Scott registered in 1927. Stott On 21 April, Herbert Whitehead Stott, MRPharmS, of 21 Morgans Quay, The Strand, Teignmouth, Devon TQ14 8XP. Mr Stott registered in 1939. Wight On 16 June, Lancelot Graham Wight, MRPharmS, of 11 Lichfield Road, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS5 6QA. Mr Wight registered in 1947.

Tribute Byrt In a tribute to the late Sarah Maud Byrt (PJ, 16 June, p811), PHILLIP EDWIN PARRY (chairman, Dyfed Powys Local Pharmaceutical Committee, and chairman, Welsh Central Pharmaceutical Committee) writes: My first contacts with Sarah Byrt were as a result of her work as organiser of the Welsh Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education courses in Ceredigion, but it was in 1992 that we began working together when Sarah took over from me as Dyfed LPC secretary as I joined the board of the family health services authority. From the start, Sarah and I enjoyed a close working relationship, forged initially in the handover of the work in transition but which deepened as she quickly took control. I will always be impressed with Sarah’s dedication to her work, her knowledge, her command of language and her ability to organise especially those, like myself, less fortunate in this respect. More specifically, Sarah’s abilities were a huge support to the LPC, its members and to many individual community pharmacies in often difficult times. Her ability to reference, use and act upon information invariably made the difference to our success as an organisation. Sarah’s special knowledge of rural pharmacy issues gave her an authority and expertise, which was acknowledged far beyond the boundaries of our area. In 1996 Sarah and I, respectively, became the secretary and chairman of the newly merged Dyfed-Powys LPC and our friendship and close working increased. Sarah was very much responsible for the smooth transition. She also adjusted with consummate ease to a change in emphasis for the LPC, from an organisation that was, in the main, reactive, to one that became proactive and which has been successful as a result. We were pleased when Sarah took up the challenge of a PhD, for which her thesis was “Provision of rural pharmacy services in West Wales”. The result of her work, completed in 1999, is a useful source that informs the debate about pharmaceutical services in rural areas and the practical issues that surround it. It was a cruel blow to us all when Sarah had her cancer diagnosed in 1997. It is a credit to her character, tenacity and affection for us that she continued to work as secretary and complete her PhD until being forced to retire in early 2000. I know Sarah was very grateful to Bob Hughes-Jones for supporting her during this time and I would like to add my thanks to him. Even after her retirement she was an immense help to the LPC and particularly to Monica Rose, our present LPC secretary Interweaving all of this was Sarah’s great sense of humour, wit and caring which pervaded us all, helping us enjoy our successes and providing light relief when things did not go so well. Sarah was like close family to those who worked closely with her and is very much loved by us. We are with Bryan, Rachel and Andrew in celebrating having known her while at the same time feeling our loss. GERAINT MORGAN (chairman of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Ceredigion branch) writes: Sarah Byrt and her husband Bryan first moved to Ceredigion over 30 years ago when they bought the Central Pharmacy in Aberaeron. She soon fitted into all aspects of pharmacy in the county and her sound advice could always be relied on both personally and professionally. After selling their business Sarah became the first postgraduate education tutor in Ceredigion and through her enthusiasm managed to make a tremendous success of the postgraduate continuing education sessions. In fact, the percentage attendance of pharmacists at the meetings she organised was greater than at meetings held in other areas of Wales, despite there being few pharmacists in a large rural area. Sarah managed to juggle her time between the postgraduate tutor post, regular locum work, bringing up a family and still achieving outstanding academic success, gaining BA first class honours degree from the Open University. Later she became secretary of the Dyfed Powys Local Pharmaceutical Committee and while holding that post was awarded a PhD for her thesis on “Provision of rural pharmacy services in West Wales”. She held several posts in the Ceredigion branch of the Society, including acting as its chairman for a number of years. With her success in so many aspects of life it would be difficult to find a more modest and humble person. Sarah had a tremendous sense of humour and could always see the funny side of life. Even in her final illness she retained her sense of humour. Time spent with her was always a great pleasure and her opinions and arguments were greatly valued. Her interests were many and varied: music and literature in particular were very important to her. Her two children Andrew and Rachel achieved great success as professional musicians and, while she followed their careers with great interest, she remained very modest about their achievements. Her courage and fortitude in her final illness were a tremendous example to all who knew her. Her popularity and respect in the profession was demonstrated by the fact that over 30 pharmacists from all over the country attended her funeral in Llanilar Church. Sarah’s death will leave a great gap in the lives of all her friends and fellow pharmacists who, I know, would wish to extend their deepest sympathy to Bryan, Andrew, Rachel and all her family. J. B. HOUGH (former treasurer, Dyfed-Powys LPC) writes: It was with great sadness that I heard that Sarah Byrt had passed away at the age of 58 years. I first met Sarah and her husband Bryan, also a pharmacist, when they sold their pharmacy at Rhymney and took over my pharmacy at Aberaeron, where they remained until 1980. Sarah was an extremely efficient secretary of the Dyfed-Powys LPC and her minutes and reports were models of accuracy and brevity. She continued her work on the LPC until the spring of 2000 when continuing ill health forced her to resign. She continued to take an active interest in the LPC and gave her successors great help and support. Sadly, her health slowly continued to deteriorate and she died in hospital on May 12. Sarah always enjoyed facing up to a challenge as is evident from her academic achievements, the completion of her doctorate despite serious health problems and her determination to carry on with her LPC work for as long as possible. She was a woman of unvarying good humour, and was lively and sociable. Those who had the privilege of knowing her will miss her friendliness and her willingness to help those who needed it. She bore her suffering with great fortitude and always thought of others. We received a cheerful card from her only a short time before she died in which she mentioned the lovely view from her hospital bed. Our deep sympathy goes to Bryan and their children Andrew and Rachel, and also to Andrew’s family and Sarah’s mother, father and sister. Hacking In a tribute to the late Michael Denis Hacking (PJ, 7 July, p35), MARIAN BRADLEY writes: Mick Hacking was the best mate of my future husband Bob in his last year at Cardiff and remained so for over 30 years, although they often lived long distances apart because of work commitments. Joan Rowlands, Mick’s girlfriend, was in my year at Cardiff, so when I came on the scene the four of us often went out and had some brilliant times and holidays together. We remained close friends. Mick was Bob’s best man at our wedding and Joan and Mick married soon after. Bob and I were delighted when Mick and Joan decided to move from Yorkshire (where Mick had worked for Smith & Nephew) to the Birmingham area, where Mick started a job in community pharmacy and Joan at the then Dudley Road Hospital. He later moved into hospital as production pharmacist at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton. Yorkshire was not the birthplace of either Mick or Joan. Mick came from Norfolk and Joan from North Wales. It was therefore not surprising, although sad for us, when Mick announced he had bought a pharmacy in North Wales, in Towyn. Mick was one of those positive people whom it is a joy to be around. Generous, warm, friendly, also philosophical, life was always good in his company. Although he rarely enjoyed perfect health he never complained, was always smiling and cheerful. He even achieved his lifetime ambition of canoeing down the Colorado river and through the Grand Canyon. No wonder he made a success of his pharmacy in Towyn and was able to acquire another shop at Kinmel Bay. He was a dedicated community pharmacist. Nothing was too much trouble and he always had all the time in the world for his patients if they needed him. On the night of the Towyn floods 12 years ago he was up all night making sure his patients had their medication, as they had to flee their homes with nothing. The evidence of this was plain to see as the chapel (actually much bigger than most churches) where his funeral service took place was packed out. Many tributes were paid to him. We are devastated at the loss of out best friend at the tragically young age of 52 and our love and hearts go out to Joan and their three children Gareth, Bethan and Geraint.

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