1953–2018

Clive was born and educated in Birmingham before studying dentistry at Bristol Dental School. Whilst in Bristol he met his future wife, Cheryl, and on qualifying in 1975 he moved back to Birmingham, working in surgeries before eventually becoming an associate to Harold Norden who was a very active member of the Birmingham Local Dental Committee and so Clive was encouraged to join.

Clive and Cheryl were blessed with two daughters, Emma and Sarah, and subsequently a son in-law, Graham and two lovely grandsons, Harry and Findlay.

In the mid-1980s younger members of the profession became disillusioned with the effectiveness of the LDC, as it seemed to be dominated by older practitioners and a coup took place at elections, deposing the old committee; sadly, this included Clive.

But Clive became even more determined to get back, as someone committed to fighting the causes of local colleagues, and was subsequently re-elected, becoming Chair of the LDC during its most important era of 2004-08 during the introduction of the 2006 NHS contract, when under his leadership the LDC became significantly prominent in opposing its introduction.

Clive chaired the biggest ever gathering of West Midlands Dentists in November 2005 which was reported on the Midlands Evening News. It was a meeting that will live long in the memories of those that attended.Under his chairing, there were meetings with MPs, adverts in the local press opposing the contract, and a live interview to the local radio station handing in his signed, in dispute contract, at the last opportunity to the PCT.

Clive proposed a pivotal motion at the Annual Conference of LDCs in 2005 calling for unified opposition, unfortunately the motion failed. Clive went on to national representation at the GDPC and as a trusted member of the Guild. Sadly, as his health deteriorated his attendance at the meetings became fewer but he continued to take his responsibilities seriously until just a few short months ago, when he stood down at the end of his period of office which extended from 2010-18.

I and many others were inspired by his commitment to work for his colleagues, and I know he was immensely proud of the legacy he left locally and nationally on dental politics, as evidenced by the large numbers of colleagues who attended from far and wide his recent funeral.

But Clive was also a talented clinician looking after many families in the very area of Birmingham he had grown up in himself. He only retired last Christmas.

Clive sadly passed away after failing to recover from emergency surgery.