Neville Eric Stebbings

Neville Eric Stebbings, who died at the age of 97, led a remarkable life that coincided with the early years of the NHS. Born in Nottingham, he left at 17 to train at St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School, London, amid the chaos of the blitz, which led to the evacuation of the medical school to Cambridge. He had fond memories of his time there. After qualifying he worked as a house officer at Barts, where, among many experiences, he had to administer chloroform to children on the dental ward using a “rag and bottle.” At the end of these mornings he often felt quite dizzy.

After his time in London, Neville served as a captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps …