Colchester: Town doctor will be sadly missed (From Essex County Standard)

Colchester: Town doctor will be sadly missed

9:25am Thursday 21st May 2009

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A much-loved Colchester GP has died at the age of 92.

Dr John Steeds was born in London in September 1916.

After studying medicine at St Catherine's College in Cambridge, he completed his training at the Middlesex Hospital in London.

He then joined the Royal Navy, serving throughout the Second World War as Lieutenant-Surgeon aboard various boats, including the destroyer HMS Vansittart and the escort carrier HMS Ruler, first in the North Atlantic and later in the Pacific Ocean.

After the war, Dr Steeds returned to the Middlesex to specialise in paediatrics.

Soon after marrying his wife Jean in 1949, Dr Steeds came to Colchester to take over an established practice in Maldon Road where he was the sole GP for several years.

He also ran the branch surgery in North Station Road.

In 1966, the main surgery moved to Creffield Road, where he was joined by other GPs including his son-in-law Paul Marfleet.

Dr Steeds also became company doctor for the Colchester Lathe Company, while he also set up the medical centre at the newly-established University of Essex at the request of its vice-chancellor Dr Albert Sloman.

He received an MBE for services to the community in 1986 and retired the following year.

Such was the gratitude of his patients that they raised thousands of pounds for him as a thank-you.

As well as his medical work, Dr Steeds was an active sportsman in his younger days.

He played for the first team at Saracens when only 17 years of age and went on to win a blue for Cambridge University, the highest accolade which can be bestowed on a student sportsman.

His rugby career was interrupted by the war but he returned to play for Saracens and became the first player from the club to be selected for England.

He represented his country as hooker on five occasions between 1949 and 1950.

His family say he always carried his boots “just in case”.

After moving to Colchester, he played for the town's third team as they were short of players, just one week before playing for England.

He also went on to play for and coach the Colchester Rugby Club's First XV on many occasions.

Dr Steeds, who died peacefully while on holiday in Sussex, is survived by his wife, five children, 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

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