Tribute to John Malvern given at Council on 7 April 2017 by Felicity Ashworth
Mr Malvern died peacefully in his sleep on 5 February 2017 at the age of 79. His wife Katharine, married for 51 years, described that he just didn't wake up one morning.
John Malvern, was known as JM, but to his SHOs very definitely Mr Malvern. I speak as one of his trainees from 1982-84 and know that many others here will have benefited from his training.
Mr Malvern was born in 1937, educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh, and went on to study medicine at the London Hospital, He was a high flying student, gaining a first class honours science degree.
After postgraduate O&G training, mainly in London, Mr. Malvern was appointed as a Consultant at Queen Charlottes and Chelsea hospital for women in 1973 where his special field of interest was urogynaecology. His intelligence and commitment to his profession remained apparent throughout his career with publications of many scientific papers, particularly on treatments for urinary incontinence as well as chapters in books, including Turnbull's Obstetrics. He held honorary academic appointments and gave many guest lectures.
He was very committed and supportive of the trainees working with him, and even taught us, as SHOs, how to do colposuspensions. One memory of this time is that I should buy a thimble for the second assistant. My career even survived delivering a couple of his private patients. He showed us how to be caring towards our patients and taught us for Part 2 MRCOG and was very keen that we should do well.
Mr. Malvern was totally committed to the institutions that he supported and the RCOG benefited from this for over 30 years with his first role as members representative for London on Council from 1977 – 1983 and later as Fellows’ representative from 1987 – 1990.He served on the examinations committees, as an examiner, many working parties, on Wellbeing Council and demonstrated his financial abilities in the finance and general purpose committee then as an Officer, the Honorary Treasurer from 1991-98 and continued on the investment advisory panel up to 2006. Another very important College role was as honorary cellarer from 2004-2009, in the days when the College had a wine cellar. His enthusiasm for the importance of the College was transmitted to all of those who worked with him and he was a role model of how we should all spread the influence of the College to our staff.
Another role model for my future practice as a Consultant was the way in which he supported his junior staff, supported the Queen Charlotte’s dining club, invited us to College and Wellbeing charitable functions and took an ongoing interest in our careers. He was President of the O&G section of the RSM in 1989 and encouraged trainees to present at the Registrars’ meeting.
Mr Malvern found time to play croquet for Hurlingham and gained an advanced certificate in Wines and Spirits. He has 3 children, Susan, Joanna and Jack and 7 grandchildren.
I was pleased to meet him again and his wife Katharine, at a Councillors’ dinner last year.
Felicity Ashworth
Thames Valley and Wessex Fellows’ Representative