The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 278 No 7433 p33-34
6 January 2007

Society summary

Benoliel On 24 December 2006, David Maurice Benoliel, MRPharmS, aged 66, of Linden House, The Street, Ewelme, Oxfordshire OX10 6HQ. Mr Benoliel registered in 1963. He worked in pharmaceutical formulation with Beechams, as chief chemist of Phillips Yeast Products and then as director and head of pharmaceutical services at Paines & Byrne Ltd until 1987, when he took up a contract as consultant to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry on original pack dispensing. After completing the contract in 1990, he continued as a consultant to the pharmaceutical industry. Living with renal failure for his last 35 years, he became active in patient organisations and was a co-founder of the National Kidney Federation. He is survived by his wife Gemma and son Daniel.

Price In June 2006, Joseph Ellis William Price, aged 99, of 7 Tan-y-foel, Rhydyfoel, Abergele, Clwyd LL22 8HZ. Mr Price registered in 1928 and retired from the Register in 1999. (Tribute.)

Tribute

Agnew In a tribute to the late Edward Agnew (PJ, 16 December 2006, p755), MIALL JAMES writes:

Ted Askew was the pharmacist with whom I did my preregistration year in North Manchester in 1960–61. He was a kindly man who was anxious at all times to do the best for his patients and to ensure that his pharmacy, a branch of Timothy Whites & Taylors, was properly and professionally run.

Davies In a tribute to the late David James Geler Davies (PJ, 16 December 2006, p755), BRIAN KAY writes:

It was with great sadness that I learnt through The Journal of the passing of Dai Davies. My friend Steve Moss and his colleague Rex Tyrrell (ibid, p756) have written generously and warmly concerning Dai’s contributions to the evolution of pharmacy at the University of Bath. Dai’s numerous contributions to the profession of pharmacy were known and appreciated by many pharmacists and scientists within both the industry and our regulatory authorities.

Dai and I served on the pharmacy committee of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission for more than 10 years and he worked with me as an expert adviser throughout my seven-year period within the scientific and technical branch of the then Department of Health and Social Security. In both instances Dai demonstrated a clear and penetrative wit and a profound understand of both the science and the politics of applied pharmacy.

It was within institutions such as the then Parenteral Society and the British Pharmaceutical Conference Science Committee that Dai provided many years of support and professional guidance to the betterment of our profession. He also generated a substantial succession of postgraduate students well equipped to hold their own in the public domain, having been taught by a master of frankness, penetration, honesty and good humour.

I wish Barbara and her family peace and comfort at this time. In different ways all those who knew Dai will have experienced a sad and untimely loss.

Iles In a tribute to the late John George Iles (PJ, 2 December 2006, p676), MICHAEL LONG writes:

I first met John when we were both involved in the North Metropolitan branch of the Pharmaceutical Society some 22 years ago. I was immediately impressed by his friendliness, his knowledge of the world of pharmacy, his calmness and common sense approach to getting things done. He took me under his wing and generally kept an eye on my progress both professionally and personally.

John loved his customers and was an institution in Highbury. I bought his pharmacy 15 years ago and people still call me John or sometimes ask me how my dad is.

He ran his pharmacy in the way they should be run. People first. Medicine with an explanation and a shoulder to cry on if necessary. Profit was not his only motive. Because we were friends he popped in regularly and so kept an interest in what was happening in community pharmacy.

He was a mild mannered man with a sense of humour but tough when needed. He came from a family of pharmacists. His grandfather and father were in Highbury before him and his daughter Valerie is a pharmacist. It was hard for him to let the pharmacy go but he then enjoyed a retirement in reasonable health.

It is sad to be writing this tribute to John because I thought this day would never come and that he would live forever. He was young at heart and could teach the young pharmacists of today a lot. I will miss him.

MIALL JAMES writes:

John Iles always struck me as a gentleman of the old school. Although he only served one term on the Society’s Council, there are few who more deserved the title of fellow “for distinction in the profession of pharmacy”.

I always enjoyed working with him, whether it was on professional or contractual issues. He could always be relied upon to keep the long-term interest of the profession, as opposed to short-term gain, firmly before us.

Powell In a tribute to the late Trevor Storey Emery Powell (PJ, 16 December 2006, p755), JOHN PACKHAM writes:

When I was attempting to get into management in the late 1960s, Trevor Powell was marketing director of Bush Boake Allen. I applied for the position of marketing manager pharmaceuticals and was interviewed and appointed by Trevor.

Trevor had a charismatic personality which enabled him to influence others, particularly in gaining a sale. He was largely responsible for the transfer from ground spices, laden with their complement of bacteria, to the virtually sterile dispersed spice extracts which enabled the development of packaged prepared meals.

He was a world traveller and managed to break into the Japanese and American markets for flavours and fragrance chemicals. He encouraged me to make exploratory trips to the Far East, etc, and started my subsequent career in export.

I became fascinated at the many crossing points between pharmaceuticals and flavours. Vanillin, for example, is the starting point for trimethoprim, methyldopa and levodopa.

I owe him a debt for introducing me to the fascinating world of international marketing.

Price In a tribute to the late Joseph Ellis William Price, JOHN R. BROMLEY writes:

Joe Price was apprenticed in the late 1920s to Leo Walker, pharmacist, of Great Crosby, Liverpool, proceeding to the Liverpool School of Pharmacy. He then sought to broaden his experience by working for some time in the Mediterranean branches of British pharmacy companies at Nice and Cannes. Burroughs Wellcome claimed the rest of his professional life.

On retirement his main ambition was to live to the age of 100. Sadly, he missed his target by five weeks.

Joe was a dedicated pharmacist and a brilliant pianist.

Wright In a tribute to the late David Wilkie Scott Wright (PJ, 16 December 2006, p756), MIALL JAMES writes:

After retirement, David Wright was a director of David Sames Ltd, a firm of community pharmacies in Essex. As such he provided wise and thoughtful counsel to his colleagues on the local pharmaceutical committee. He is another gentleman who will be sadly missed.