Tributes
Ainsworth In a tribute to the late John Bertrand
Leslie Ainsworth, STEVEN
KAYNE writes:
The homoeopathic community has lost a great supporter in
the passing of John Ainsworth. He made an outstanding contribution
to homoeopathic pharmacy for more than 30 years.
John began reading for a degree in chemistry at King’s College London and
Bristol, but with the outbreak of the 1939–45 war his studies were interrupted
and he joined the Devon Regiment in Exeter. Commissioned in 1940 he moved to
the Staffordshire Regiment and subsequently saw action in North Africa and Italy
with the Eighth Army. He returned to the UK in January 1944 from where he was
posted to north west Europe shortly after D-Day. John sustained a serious leg
wound that was to trouble him for the rest of his life, and was finally invalided
out the army during the following year.
John’s wife Peggy, whom he married in 1942, had a family connection with
Dudley Everitt, a director of A. Nelson & Co, homoeopathic pharmacists of
Duke Street, London, and he secured employment there. He took a two-year pharmacy
course with the aid of a government grant for interrupted studies and joined
the Register on 22 July 1949, after completing a preregistration year at Nelson’s.
John stayed with the company for many years eventually becoming a director.
Following
the tragic death of his two fellow directors, Mr and Mrs Dudley Everitt, in
an aeroplane crash in 1972, and the subsequent sale of Nelson’s
to the Truth Research Foundation, John opened his own homoeopathic pharmacy
on 6 June 1978
in New Cavendish Street, London, with a staff of six. The grant of royal warrants
to HM The Queen and HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother soon followed.
From 1978 until John’s retirement in April 1989 (when the staff had grown
to 56), Ainsworth’s Homeopathic Pharmacy prospered and enjoyed considerable
professional and public support. The pharmacy served three Royal physicians — Marjorie
Blackie, Charles Elliott and Ronald Davey — and a host of other influential
clients.
John supported the work of the British Homeopathic Association enthusiastically
throughout his professional life, joining its council in 1955 and serving as
treasurer for many years, before being elected life president in 1992. He was
also a council member of the Homeopathic Trust. John was instrumental in promoting
homoeopathy at a time when consumers were beginning to ask questions about
the safety of orthodox medicines.
He organised courses for pharmacists through the BHA and encouraged the over-the-counter
supply of homoeopathic medicines. John and Peggy contributed to BHA roadshows
around the country; I recall that the events were accompanied by much fun and
laughter (for the presenters) but were also effective in spreading the idea
of responsible and appropriate use of homoeopathy.
In Europe John was president
of the International Homoeopathic Pharmacists Committee (CIPH) for three
consecutive years and UK member of the CIPH Scientific Commission, where
he contributed
to
early work on the European Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia.
His important contribution to homoeopathic pharmacy was acknowledged through
the award of fellowships by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Faculty
of Homeopathy (where he was the first pharmacist to be so honoured) in the
1990s.
I knew John Ainsworth for more than 40 years. I greatly appreciated his willingness
to share his extensive knowledge and his great support during my formative
years as a newly qualified pharmacist. His dry wit was legendary. John is
survived by his three children Vivienne, Hilary and Philip, to whom his colleagues
express
their deepest sympathy.
Clark In
a tribute to the late Michael Clark, Stephen Chappell
writes:
Michael Clark trained at the school of pharmacy in Brighton and
later took responsibility for the family business, established by his
great grandfather in Eastbourne.
In the mid 1970s he transferred to our district mental health service
as principal pharmacist based at Hellingly Hospital; soon he was participating
in the varied
activities of a residential psychiatric care unit and his abilities were frequently
called upon.
As health provision moved forward he participated in the development of community
care, drug dependency support and other services. Towards the end of his working
life he suffered
long-term health problems but these rarely prevented him continuing as an advocate
for those in need of support, even though his own health may have been on a
par with theirs.
Michael was devoted to his family and they to him. He enjoyed life and wanted
others to do so, too. We remember him as a pharmacist but more so as a kind,
tolerant, caring gentleman.
Thanks Mike. Bye!
Newey In a tribute
to the late Arthur Ernest Newey, DAVID
HOYLE writes:
Pharmacists in the Peak District will remember Arthur Newey
with affection
and gratitude.
Arthur qualified in 1941 from the Liverpool school of pharmacy (now part
of John Moores University). After working for Boots at its all-night shop
in Liverpool,
he joined the Royal Air Force and became a pilot officer and later a navigator.
He was to fly in Anson aircraft in Canada, sometimes flying in temperatures
as low as minus 10C and later, in Scotland, he flew Tiger Moths and aerobatics
were regularly performed.
After the war he went to work in industry at
Boots in Nottingham, took further examinations and became a fellow of
the Royal
Institute of Chemistry. Subsequently he was offered the job of chief
development chemist
with E. Griffiths Hughes in Manchester, where he was involved with such
products as Rennies, Radox, Kruschen Salts and Kwells.
After further experience in industry he decided to return to community
pharmacy and in the 1960s bought two pharmacies in Chapel-en-le-Frith,
Derbyshire.
He retired in 1983 and continued to work as a locum in the area until
1995.
Arthur was a man of immense kindness and patience with a wonderful sense
of humour. He had total integrity and was liked by both staff and patients.
We
shall miss him and extend our deepest sympathy to Etta (his wife for
more than 60 years), Jim, Carol, Patsy and the grandchildren.
Timmins In a tribute
to the late Leslie
Ernest Timmins (PJ, 15 September,
p311), ANNE NOOTT writes:
Leslie first attended Wolverhampton Municipal
Grammar School and went on to study pharmacy at Birmingham University.
He registered as a pharmacist in 1942. During the 1939–45 war,
he joined the Royal Air Force and was stationed in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
working on radar.
After the war he met and married Brenda, with whom
he had three sons and a daughter. He remained devoted to his family throughout
his life, and in November this year he and Brenda would have celebrated
60 years of marriage.
Leslie worked for 40 years as a pharmacist and
manager at Eggington’s Chemists in Lower Gornal, Dudley, where
he was much loved and appreciated by all his customers, patients, staff
and the Eggington family. Even in later years, when he was unable to
attend many local branch meetings, he always kept himself up to date
with current issues in pharmacy.
This July he was proud to have completed
65 years on the Register of Pharmaceutical Chemists.
Our sympathies go
to Brenda and to his children — he will be missed by all who knew
him. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal