Herbert Norton

Herbert Norton was the eldest son of a prosperous family in Hammelburg, Germany where he attended primary school. He was sent to Wurzburg for secondary education where he obtained the equivalent of a 'A' levels (Matura). He emigrated before his family in 1934 and was admitted to the medical school at the University of Manchester. When he qualified and after a 'house job' he continued his studies in the Turner Dental School from which he graduated in 1943.

Herbert Norton became the associate of a number of well-known practitioners in London (Dr Walters) and Manchester (Dr Furst) until he thought himself sufficiently experienced to found his own practice in Palatine Road, Didsbury, Manchester, where he continued his work over many years until his retirement in 1985.

Herbert was the eternal student and he obtained the HDD from Edinburgh and attended lectures and courses all over the world – the Chicago Mid-Winter meeting was one of his favourites. He was elected a member of the ICD and after a time became the editor of the journal of the European Section. He held this office for over seventeen years also serving on the Executive. Some North German colleagues who had formed a private study circle ('Die Neue Gruppe') were so impressed by his knowledge that they invited Herbert, as the only colleague without a German qualification, to join them and he attended their courses assiduously. He was also one of the founder members of the Manchester Friends of the Hebrew University Dental Section, a group that established continuing dental education in the immediate post war years.

Dr Norton, as he was always known, was elected FDSRCS (Edin.). He was appointed a lecturer, part-time in the department of Oral Surgery at the Turner Dental School during the time when Professor J. Moore CBE was in charge of that department.

Herbert Norton was a man of wide interests, art and literature, but it was his involvement in making music that was the greatest of his loves. He played the viola and violin in a number of amateur orchestras as well as playing chamber music with friends – sometimes several times per week. He was also a great and untiring mountain walker, a member of the Swiss Alpine club and a competent skier. He was a member of Durham Forest Golf and Country Club. Lottie, his wife, supported him in all these pursuits and our warmest sympathy goes out to her.

H.G. K.

Peter Robert Jones

The large parish church of Ringwood overflowed with several hundred mourners attending the funeral of Pete Jones. A sunny July 21st reflected the warmth of love and respect shown for Pete from family, friends, staff, neighbours and patients.

Pete had died from malignant melanoma following almost two years of a brave, determined battle to beat the disease. Through that period, Pete took the opportunity to reflect on his life, its worth and its meaning. For himself, Pete was very content with his time on earth – he loved his life. Indeed, he often commented that he had had several lives, not just one. Pete fought to stay alive for the sake of his family – the part of life he loved the most – his wife Eddie and three children Matthew, Adam and Sophia.

Pete did his dental degree in Bristol between 1976 and 1980. Characteristically, he engaged in a multitude of extra-curricular activities ranging from UBH rugby, producing 'Cubicle 2' (the dental school revue) and flying with the University Air Squadron. Let us not forget the numerous parties and pub crawls, either. Pete always lived life to the full.

Come the end of dental school and Pete found himself in a bit of a pickle. He had 'blagged' his way into an extra 18 months flying by promising his boss that he would apply to become a RAF pilot. The authorities called his bluff, he took the interviews and in January 1981 found himself at RAF Cranwell doing pilot officer training.

Pete had the ability to be very focused on his personal goals (sometimes infuriatingly so!) and always tried his best at anything he did. Often his best was very good indeed, receiving the Sword of Honour as Cranwell's student of the year.

Known throughout the RAF flying fraternity as 'Pete the Dentist', he ultimately flew the Jaguar fast jet with postings at Lossiemouth, Scotland and Laarbruch, Germany. He later became a training officer at Cranwell. Pete had immense integrity and earned the respect of his students (and later his patients) for his high standards, his honesty and his caring approach.

When the time came to stop flying, Pete playing his trump card and came back into dentistry. He joined the Nottingham VT scheme and was surely one of the hardest working VDPs there has ever been. An associateship followed in Verwood, when Pete moved back down to the south coast to be close to both sets of grandparents.

After a few years, Pete took over a practice from a retiring colleague on the outskirts of Bournemouth. Within a short time, he had refurbished and successfully converted the practice to health-centred care. As usual, Pete would not rest on his laurels and enrolled himself on the part time advanced restorative course at the Eastman. After a year on the course, he discovered the small mole on his back was malignant.

Pete was one of those dentists who recognised the wonderful opportunities our position gives us. Even though his time was tragically short, Pete was content in the knowledge that his life was both very full and very happy. The message he leaves us is simple: live your life with honesty and integrity; make the most of every day and be the best you can be, and you will have a full and happy life too.

A. C. T.