Cyril alfred edgar tomes

Cyril Tomes died in King's College Hospital on the 29th May 2000 at the age of 94. He was educated at Alleyn's School, Dulwich and, following some dental mechanics training under the watchful eye of his uncle, Edgar Tomes, a local dentist, entered Guy's Hospital to qualify as a dental surgeon some three months before his twenty-first birthday.

He funded his studies by working at the Blue Cross veterinary clinic at Camberwell Green and subsequently joined his uncle's establishment at Goose Green, East Dulwich, which he eventually took over, remaining for over sixty years.

Early in his career, he was appointed Honorary Dental Surgeon to the Mildmay Mission Hospital in which capacity he served for over 35 years.

With the introduction of the NHS, Cyril was selected by his local dental fraternity as their spokesman, and served as a member of Camberwell Health Authority, and on the local BDA committee as its Vice President. He had also been chairman of Disciplinary Tribunals for the Dental Estimates Board. From 1948, Cyril's practice was run entirely within the bounds of the National Health Service (of which he was an ardent supporter), maintaining a dental laboratory and technicians on the premises.

As a lifelong Christian, Cyril was a member of the South London Tabernacle Baptist Church, where he met his wife Marjorie (who pre-deceased him by one year). He was Sunday School Superintendent for nearly forty years, Captain of the 64th London. At the outbreak of war, he became a flight lieutenant in the RAF.

One of his proudest achievements was the formation of a drum and fife band for the WRAF which paraded regularly in Regent's Park, and was to become a WRAF showpiece.

Another interest was astronomy. Cyril was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1958 and was made a Free Fellow in 1974 for his learned contributions and services to the Junior Astronomical Society. A moral and just man he was highly regarded by patients, colleagues and staff. His senior dental nurse and chief technician had both been with him for over fifty years, uniquely demonstrating much deserved loyalty.

As a former associate, I deem it a privilege to have known this man who was always willing to share experiences and offer professional advice – a real friend. He will be sadly missed by so many, especially his three children and their families.

J. E. N.

Sidney george allen

Sidney Allen was born in 1904 into a family of watchmakers and jewellers. At 16, in 1920, he joined the dental course at The London Hospital Medical College. Although he completed it on time, he had to wait until he was 21 to be awarded the LDS and register as a dentist. Subsequently, he qualified with an MRCS, LRCP in 1930, immediately marrying Joyce Herman whom he had met while she was at the Royal College of Music.

In 1937 he was appointed Assistant Dental Surgeon to The London Hospital and Honorary Dental Surgeon to the newly opened Annex at Brentwood in 1941. Shortly afterwards he joined the RNVR as a medical Surgeon Lieutenant and served for two and half years on the armed merchant cruiser, HMS Bulolo, which had been fitted out as a combined operations HQ ship. with landings in Algiers, Sicily and Angio. In all these operations, the ship escaped major damage, but was bombed off the Normandy beaches.

Post war, he returned to London, lecturing on children's dentistry and will be remembered for his dry sense of humour, the straight face and the twinkling eye. He also set about rebuilding his West-End Practice. 'S.G' as he was affectionately known, was a highly competent, if not adventurous, surgeon, with a meticulous attention to detail.

In 1948, he was awarded the FDS RCS (Eng.) and subsequently he was appointed Consultant Oral Surgeon to the Nursing Staff.

A major interest was the treatment of oral cancer with intra-oral radium applicators. After radical surgery, he provided his patients with ingenious prosthetic appliances using his inventive skills and love of gadgets! At the Annex he worked with Jack Crawford, the neurosurgeon and was among the first to construct acrylic cranial implants. Ahead of his time, S.G. estimated lead in children's enamel with Dr. F.W. Bury and tried to establish a connection between oral organisms and gastric ulcers with Dr. Michael Vaisey.

S.G. was a kindly, compassionate clinician, regarded as an old friend by his patients. We students admired his high ethical standards and at leisure, he was a witty companion. A staunch 'Old Londoner', he became the Dental Club's first treasurer and he served as a trustee on the Benevolent Fund Committee until into his 80's.

He had considerable artistic talent, illustrating letters home during the war with cartoons and sketches and after retirement, drawing and painting with the Chippenham Art Group.

He lost his son Peter at age 25, during a sea rescue attempt and Joyce sadly pre-deceased him in 1986. He died on 15 April 2000 after several years of patiently born ill health. He leaves a loving daughter, Jennifer.

G. R. S.