John Anthony (Tony) Moore Philipson

Mr John Anthony Moore Philipson M.A.(Cantab.), F.R.C.S. (E.), known to all as Tony, was born in the family home in Darlington, County Durham. He was the only child of John and Marjorie. Educated at Malvern College and going up to Queens’ College in 1955 where he read Medicine. His clinical training was undertaken at Westminster Hospital, London.

Whilst at School Tony met his lifelong friend Brian Osler who also went up to Cambridge and with whom Tony room shared. Memories of that time included toasting crumpets on the electric fire, evenings spent in The Mill, the summer balls and rowing his future wife, Ruth, down to Grantchester. He met Ruth, who was training to be a nurse, on the wards of the old Addenbrookes Hospital. Tony and Ruth married in 1963 and had two daughters Jacqueline born in 1965 and Anna born in 1966. Tony’s chosen career path was in Orthopaedics, post-graduation he worked in several hospitals in the South and East of England. As a junior doctor Tony forged a friendship with A.B. King who was a few years ahead of him in training. A.B settled in King’s Lynn, Norfolk and through him Tony made a connection with the Hospital there. He undertook regular locums in King’s Lynn including filling in for A.B.  when he was on holiday It was not surprising therefore that after the completion of training Tony would take up a substantive post in King’s Lynn in 1972 as a Consultant in Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery and as the Consultant in charge of the Accident and Emergency department. Tony inherited from his father an engineering brain which he used to great effect when tasked with fixing complex fractures or correcting limb deformities. He extended this innovative thinking to also working with the local branch of REMAP, a charity which provides custom made equipment to people living with disability. Greatly respected and loved by the staff and local community Tony was known for his kindness, generosity, dedication, skill, sense of humour and supportiveness. He was a popular member of the community and forged many friendships with those he encountered. Sadly, despite making a reasonable recovery, a stroke caused his early retirement in 1996.

Post retirement Tony went on to enjoy many active years during which he pursued his various interests. He undertook multiple touring holidays both in the U.K. and Europe in his large American motorhomes. He was a keen collector of classic cars and the proud owner of three Bristol’s, a Jensen, two Daimlers and a Lotus. His love of DIY was used to great effect when renovating the family home, a property he had acquired as derelict at auction, and which became his lifelong project. He loved the animal world and over the years had been the keeper of a goat, a donkey, occasional cats, chickens and guinea fowl, peacocks, geese, ducks, a pair of rheas and a constant line of golden retrievers. Towards the end of his life, he returned to bee keeping which as a boy he had shared with his father.

Ruth pre-deceased Tony in 2006. In 2009 he married Helen a fellow doctor and Anaesthetist who survives him. The marriage was successful, and they had several happy years together before Tony’s health started to fail. He died peacefully after a long and happy life and left the world a better place for his presence in it.