The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7256 p32-33
5 July 2003

Society summary

Mervyn Madge

Mervyn Madge, FRPharmS, of 1 Saltburn Road, St Budeaux, Plymouth PL5 1PB, died on 21 June. Mr Madge served on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Council for a total of 15 years and as an auditor of the Society for a further 15 years.

Archibald George Mervyn Madge registered as a pharmacist in 1933 after studying at Plymouth Technical College. After early experience with a co-operative company and in the Exmouth pharmacy of Jarvis Graves, pharmacy he became superintendent pharmacist of a business with 13 pharmacies. By 1950 he was superintendent pharmacist of Plymouth Co-operative Society, eventually resigning from the post in 1968. He continued to work in community practice, also building up an income from consultancies, writing and lecturing.

Mr Madge's involvement in Society matters began early in his career in the Plymouth branch. He was elected branch secretary in 1938 and finally retired from that role in 1986 after a total of 46 years' service as secretary, plus periods as branch chairman and public relations officer. He was a member of the local organising committee for the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Exeter in 1979.

After first seeking election to the Society's Council in 1962, Mr Madge was successful in the 1967 election. He served continuously until 1976 and then from 1977 to 1980 and from 1981 to 1984. He stood for election as one of the Society's auditors in 1986 and served five consecutive three-year terms until losing his position in 2002.

In the wider world of pharmacy, Mr Madge was, in the 1960s, a committee member of the Plymouth Pharmaceutical Committee and of Cornwall Pharmaceutical Committee, and served as chairman of both bodies.

He was a past council member and secretary of the Salaried Pharmacists Union. He was also co-founder and past president of the Rural Pharmacist Association, which he chaired for seven years until 1986, when he was elected president. He edited The Rural Pharmacist for a number of years.

He was a long-serving council member and a past chairman of the Institute of Pharmacy Management International, and in 1997 was made a vice-president of the institute in honour of his "tremendous service" and continuous "stalwart support" since its foundation in 1964.

He served for many years on the committee of the British Society for the History of Pharmacy, of which he was also a past president.

He was a past secretary and treasurer of the pharmaceutical group of the Royal Society of Health, a past council member of the Natural Medicines Society and a past council member and chairman of the British Homoeopathic Association.

Mr Madge was a past chairman of the pharmacy advisory committee of Plymouth Regional College of Technology and was a trustee of Plymouth's Park Pharmacy Trust. He also served the local community as a member of the Plymouth home safety committees, the Plymouth disablement advisory committee (including a period as chairman) and the Plymouth youth advisory employment committee.

Mr Madge's funeral was scheduled to take place at St Andrews Parish Church, Plymouth, on 4 July.

Baker On 20 May, Dorothy Mackenzie Baker, née Stratton, of 34 Netherpark Avenue, Netherlee, Glasgow G44 3XW. Mrs Baker registered in 1943 and retired from the register in 1980.

Baldry On 28 May, Sidney Roland Baldry, of 1 Maple Close, High Meadows Estate, Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln. Mr Baldry registered in 1935 and retired from the register in 1997.

Barker On 29 March, Bernard Karl Barker, of 75 Fairfield Road, Stockton Heath, Warrington, Cheshire WA4 2UU. Mr Barker registered in 1937 and retired from the register in 2002.

Bussell On 5 October 2002, Louise Ross Bussell, FRPharmS, of 41 Harepath Road, Seaton, Devon EX12 2RY. Miss Bussell registered in 1950.

Clark On 19 April, Thomas Clark, of 76 Harrow Drive, Hornchurch, Essex RM11 1NX. Mr Clark registered in 1939 and retired from the register in 1997 (see Tribute).

Cooper In March 2002, Lucinda Fay Cooper, MRPharmS, of 12 Osprey Close, Thornhill, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 6TF. Mrs Cooper registered in 1983.

Rodger On 6 May, Robert Rennie Rodger, of 23 Forth Park Drive, Kirkcaldy, Fife KY2 5TB. Mr Rodger registered in 1936 and retired from the register in 2001.

Taylor On 30 April, Sidney William Taylor, of 38 Fairfield Avenue, Kirk Ella, Hull HU10 7UH. Mr Taylor registered in 1938 and retired from the register in 2002.

Tributes

Clark In a tribute to the late Thomas Clark, ROBERT PIERCE writes:

I was very sorry to hear of the death of Tommy Clark after many years with Parkinson's disease. Thus ended a friendship of some 60 years.

Tommy was born in Buckhaven in the Kingdom of Fife. After an apprenticeship he qualified as a pharmaceutical chemist at Edinburgh. We both joined May & Baker in 1940, he on the chemical side, me on pharmaceutical production. In the early years he was associated with sulphonamides. He then joined the wartime shadow plant at Leek in Staffordshire. Returning to Dagenham he qualified as an associate of the Royal Institute of Chemistry and worked in the alkaloids and arsenicals department, becoming works manager, Dagenham, then chemical production manager, UK. He finally retired as administrative manager after 39 years' service.

In retirement he was an active golfer and took a keen interest in the Queen's theatre, Hornchurch. He was a regular attender at the Barking and Havering branch serving as committee member and chairman.

His unfailing cheerfulness and keen sense of humour will always be remembered. My condolences to his son, Roger, and daughters, Rosalind and Helen.

Madge In a tribute to the late Archibald George Mervyn Madge, IAN CALDWELL writes, on behalf of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's honorary auditors:

I have been collecting my state pension for a few years now but, even so, the late Mervyn Madge joined the register two years before I was born and had been committed entirely to his profession since then.

Others will recall his business and professional life, whereas I can only speak for the big, bluff, "hail fellow, well met" friend to the whole world who popped up to participate in, and sometimes dominate, meetings and conferences of all kinds with his informed and common-sense approach. It did not matter whether he was talking to a wet-behind-the-ears new pharmacist at a conference or to the president of the Society — there was no condescension or awe on his part, only discussion among equals. That this tactic did not intimidate or infuriate was due in no small measure to his knowledge of his profession within the United Kingdom and internationally, together with a desire to see pharmacy develop and to expand its influence among the health professions.

Mervyn's people skills were not restricted to dealing with pharmacists. In the days when the British Pharmaceutical Conference had a social side revolving around music and dancing, Mervyn spent a lot of time on the dance floor. His nimble-footedness deserted him at the 1996 Glasgow conference, when he fell in a lecture theatre and broke his femur. I visited him the next day at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The ward was ruled by a nursing sister who could possibly be described as a nippy sweetie, but she and her nurses were already completely in the thrall of our old charmer. Needless to say, he was fascinated by the mechanics of the subsequent transfer back to his beloved South of England, all courtesy of the National Health Service.

Mervyn was a prolific correspondent to The Pharmaceutical Journal and to the press as well as writing articles and booklets, such as his treatise on treacle mines. His handwriting gave the lie to the myth that his generation wrote only in Classic copper plate script, but he had the good sense to adopt the typewriter — albeit one with a somewhat idiosyncratic concept of the vertical placing of the letter "e". It was with this instrument that he was able to indulge his wide ranging interests in history, sociology and pharmacy and to communicate with his colleagues around the world.

Mervyn's last elected post with the Society was as an honorary auditor, a role which he embraced with his customary gusto. It was his habit to book a half hour appointment with the Director of Finance before the annual meeting of the honorary auditors and the Officers of the Society in order to go through his personal list of concerns, which were later expanded upon during the official meeting. A token signing-off of the Society's accounts was definitely not on his agenda.

It is probable that every generation gives rise to a tiny coterie of characters who enrich their chosen profession in a variety of ways. A. G. Mervyn Madge was undoubtedly one of that precious few of his time. Current and future generations will be fortunate to produce members of similar ilk who live long and measure up to the Madge standard.

ERNEST BURROW writes:

The death of a man with whom one has had an association for over 60 years can lead to sombre thoughts.

A Plymothian, Mervyn Madge returned to the city in about 1939 after spending some time with Jarvis Graves at Exmouth. In addition to his many activities within pharmacy, he was a Freemason and a member of numerous other committees and arbitrations. A traveller, author, speaker and inveterate writer to the press, Mervyn lived life to the fullest extent.

However, it is as secretary of the Society's Plymouth branch that I shall most remember Mervyn. He held the post from 1940 to 1985. Despite all his other interests, Mervyn never neglected the branch. Apart from having a full syllabus printed well before each session, he freely gave help and advice. When we were collecting for the branch benevolent fund, some members gave generously because of assistance received from Mervyn.

Members responded to his appeals for funds to buy a mirror for Birdsgrove House, a silver loving cup for Plymouth City Council to help replace losses due to the Blitz, and links for the ribbon of the branch chairman's badge.

There could be only one Mervyn, and without him the branch experienced its worst period in a history of more than 100 years. Were it not for two young ladies, the branch could have closed. With new officers there are signs that the branch will again prosper.

A few of us met Mervyn for lunch each month. We shall raise our glasses to his memory when we next meet.