Jenny Lennox (née Ackroyd)
BMJ 2004; 329 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.329.7471.921-e (Published 14 October 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;329:921Data supplement
Jenny Lennox (née Ackroyd)
Consultant general and vascular surgeon Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow (b 1950; q Cambridge/Middlesex Hospital, London, 1974; MA, MChir, FRCS), died peacefully at home on Sunday 5 September 2004.Born Jenny Ackroyd in Leeds to Peter and Evelyn Ackroyd, she was the fourth of five children. Her father, an academic theologian, was subsequently Professor Peter Ackroyd of King’s College London, known as "Old Testament Ackroyd."
Educated at James Allen Girls School in Dulwich, she went on to read medicine and fine arts at New Hall, Cambridge, and the Middlesex Hospital in London, graduating in 1974. During her junior doctor training she became the first female surgical registrar and senior registrar at St Thomas’s Hospital, a particularly male dominated institution at the time. She also achieved the degree of master of surgery at Cambridge University in 1986, we believe the first ever woman to do so.
Jenny was a founder member of Women in Surgical Training, a body formed at the Royal College of Surgeons for the encouragement of training of women in surgery, and felt strongly that, at about 2%, the current representation of female consultant surgeons was unacceptably low.
She was appointed as consultant surgeon in general and vascular surgery at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow in 1987 and developed a particular interest in day surgery. There was no dedicated day unit there so she and a band of enthusiastic helpers helped to raise the necessary funds to build one.
Keen on surgical training, and particularly for women, she is remembered as a caring, encouraging, enthusiastic, and patient teacher by her junior staff, and is being nominated by them for a Trainer of the Year award from the Association of Surgeons in Training.
Her most recent interest has been the building of a new surgical wing at PAH, which is due to be opened by the secretary of state for health in November 2004. It is to be called the Jenny Ackroyd Surgical Wing.
Twelve years ago she developed a melanoma of the eye and after treatment lost the sight of the eye but continued her professional life and was often known locally as the "partially sighted, female surgeon from Wareside" to the amusement of her patients. In this capacity she was invited to attend the Woman of the Year lunch in 1993, which was sponsored by the Royal National Institute for the Blind.
During this busy professional life, working full time throughout, Jenny had time for a fulfilling social and family life. She was married to Malcolm Lennox, another consultant surgeon locally, for 28 years and had two children, Sophie, currently a medical student at Cambridge, and Sandy, who is in the sixth form at the Bishop’s Stortford High School.
She was a faithful member of St Mary’s Church Choir and enjoyed singing in their occasional services sung in various cathedrals throughout the country, most recently in Salisbury Cathedral. She also sang in Ware Choral Society and played the cello.
Her manner was sympathetic, concerned, and helpful, but most of all she was lively, fun to be with, colourfully dressed, and noisy in a delightful way.
She will be greatly missed by her family, friends, colleagues, and patients. [M S Lennox]
See more
- Introductory AddressProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 1-4; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.1
- Report of the Meeting of the Eastern Branch of the Provincial Association at Bury St. Edmond'sProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 10-13; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.10
- Mr. Warburton's Bill for the Regulation of the Medical ProfessionProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 13-15; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.13
- An Atlas of Plates, illustrative of the Principles and Practice of Obstetric Medicine and Surgery, with descriptive LetterpressProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 4; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.4
- A Practical Treatise on the Diseases peculiar to Women, illustrated by Cases, &cProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 4-5; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.4-a