William Mortimer Haigh Shaw
BMJ 2002; 325 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7365.661/e (Published 21 September 2002) Cite this as: BMJ 2002;325:661
Data supplement
William Mortimer Haigh Shaw
Former consultant plastic surgeon St James’s Hospital, Leeds (b 1915; q Leeds 1938; FRCS 1948) died from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma on 9 June 2002.
Shortly
after the outbreak of the second world war Mortimer went to the plastic surgery
unit at Rooksdown House, Basingstoke, to study the principles of plastic surgery
under the tutelage of Sir Harold Gillies.
On joining the Royal Army Medical Corps he went to the Middle East as assistant surgeon with the 2nd Maxillofacial Team, which treated the casualties of desert warfare, working in Jerusalem, Cairo, Tripoli, and finally Sicily.
When he returned to England Mortimer went back to Rooksdown House, assisting Sir Harold Gillies during the day and studying for the second part of the fellowship in the evenings.
In 1947 Mortimer joined the embryo plastic unit at St James’s Hospital in Leeds. Over the years he established a plastic surgery unit in Bradford, inaugurated one in Hull, and built up the plastic surgery unit at St James’s. This was rehoused in the new Chancellor Wing and formed part of the accident, orthopaedic, and plastic unit
Mortimer was a founder member of the British Association of Plastic Surgeons, and served for many years on its council.
Outside surgery he had many interests. He was a talented pianist and an accomplished photographer. A lover of fast cars, he delighted in driving across Europe, exploring remote corners on family holidays.
Mortimer was a tireless hill walker in the Yorkshire Dales and on the fells of the Lake District.
His 20 years of retirement in Cumbria were marred by ill health, which he endured with great stoicism. He leaves a wife, Mary; a son and daughter; and four grandchildren.
[ Mary Shaw ]