Dr James Howard Swallow

James Howard Swallow came up to Queens' College, Cambridge in 1946 from Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield, Yorkshire. He read Medical Sciences and was a Foundation Scholar of the College.

He was active in the College Rugby Club. He also became a member of the Cambridge University Mountaineering Club and regularly went on University trips to gain experience. He became very skilled over the coming years and was invited in 1961 to join Chris Bonnington and his party on the first successful ascent of Nuptse in the Himalayas (7,861m). 

He graduated in 1949 with First class Honours and was awarded the College Melsome Memorial Prize for Medicine. He moved on to The London Hospital to study Clinical Medicine and spent a period of post graduate academic study at the Mayo Clinic in America.

He was appointed as a Consultant Physician with a Specialist interest in Gastroenterology in Chelmsford, Essex. He set up one of the country’s first Medical Academic Units and enjoyed a rewarding career in Medicine. He retired in 1990 and then commenced a degree in Mathematics at the Open University. He was a lifelong learner; played tennis and skied until the age of 83; a student of the stock market; an amateur astronomer; Organ player;  German speaker; tennis player; keen gardener - a true polymath.

He died at home at the age of 95. He is succeeded by his wife of 57 years, Diana; his 3 children Richard (Gonville and Caius, Law, 1986-9), Rosie (Consultant Cardiologist) and Elisabeth (Trinity Hall, Medicine 1991-4, Consultant Respiratory Physician) and 7 Grandchildren, his eldest Rupert studied Law at Hughes Hall  (2018-20).