Peter Alexander Murray Weston

Peter Alexander Murray Weston was born in Oswestry but spent his early years in Eastbourne, where among other things he taught himself to sail and developed his love of the sea. He went to Chelmsford Hall Preparatory School and then was awarded a Kitchener scholarship to board at Bradfield College, Berkshire. Following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps (his dad had been an army medical officer for many years before leaving to work as a surgeon and GP in Oswestry and Eastbourne; his grandfather had been a GP), he started his medical training at St Bartholomew’s medical school in London in 1942. After qualifying in 1947, he spent a short time in the army, doing his national service (based at Millbank during the Korean war, treating returning casualties) while also studying for his FRCS from 1949 to 1951. During this time, he was a demonstrator in anatomy, before qualifying as a surgeon in 1950. He then worked in the Children’s Hospital, Toronto, from 1953. This included being the doctor in charge of the Grenfell Mission Hospital, St Anthony, Newfoundland, during the winter of 1953-54. He had many adventures including rescuing casualties by dog sled and sea plane. He spent a year as registrar at the Farnborough Hospital from 1954 to 1955 before …