David Rowland Jones

David Rowland Jones

Rowley Jones was born in London, the son of a dairy owner. He began to study medicine in 1943 and joined the London Hospital Medical College, following in the footsteps of his brother Eiron. Unfortunately, his career was interrupted by tuberculous peritonitis due, he was convinced, to drinking unpasteurised milk. After prolonged immobilisation, he made an excellent recovery and was able to return to his medical studies. He was a very popular student and became active in sport. He rowed in the Eights at Number 6 for The London in the Head of the River Races and also at Henley against Kentucky USA. After qualification he held various house appointments and also gained experience as a ship’s surgeon. He was obstetric house surgeon at St James’s Hospital, Balham, following which, in 1954, he obtained the DObst RCOG.

He decided to enter general practice and joined one situated close to the Hammersmith flyover, where he became a dedicated family doctor in a large eclectic practice. He became the senior partner and was much loved and highly respected by patients. His prowess as a clinician was recognised by Charing Cross Hospital, which appointed him occupational health physician for the staff. His wife, Paula, a former nurse at The London Hospital, now a distinguished interior decorator, redesigned the surgery in an avant-garde style. With her combined nursing and artistic background, she was able to design a surgery that was both aesthetically pleasing and clinically efficient and was a delight to her husband, his partners, and the patients.

Rowley was an extremely hard working general practitioner who never spared himself and always went that extra mile for his patients—and for his family and friends. Later in his working life he became very ill with subacute bacterial endocarditis but from which he eventually recovered and was able to return to clinical practice. His hobby was gardening, in which he had a special passion for growing roses, having been greatly influenced by Graham Stuart Thomas, author of several books on roses. He leaves a wife, Paula; a daughter, Eira; and three grandchildren, Polly, Rupert, and Barnaby. His son, Callow, predeceased him, as did his brother Eiron, who was an ear, nose, and throat surgeon in Bangor. [Eira Hooper, John W Thompson]