Peter John Leslie

Peter John Leslie had an infectious energy and enthusiasm for his work as a doctor as in so many other areas of life, and he inspired many. His loss has been felt keenly, not only among a wide circle of friends and family, but also at the Borders General Hospital, where he had been a prominent and highly respected clinician since 1992.

Born and brought up in Lisburn, near Belfast, Peter was fortunate to attend Friends’ School, where, unusually for the time, he was able to make friends with pupils and staff from across the sectarian divide. A very happy early childhood came to an end at the age of 11, owing to his father’s sudden and early death. After enduring a year at boarding school, which he hated, Peter became in effect the carer for his mother, whose mental and physical health was poor for the rest of her life. During his teens the “Troubles” were at their height, and, like so many of his generation and before—including his sister, Rhona, who emigrated to Canada—Peter left Northern Ireland, going on to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh.

Peter …