In Memory of Dr Alan Champion

 

Dr. Champion's death occurred on April 29th 2014 at Lawnswood, Ventnor, Isle of Wight. Doctor Champion was a General Practitioner in the town for over 40 years and was the former Medical officer at R.A.F. Ventnor, as well as a noted local historian.

Alan Frederick Champion was born in Barking in Essex in 1929. He was evacuated during the war but returned to London in time for the Blitz. He attended Manor Elementary and Acton Park Schools and spent a term at South Essex Technical College before transferring to Barking Abbey School where he spent the remainder of his school days.

Alan was awarded a scholarship to study Medicine at King's College London, gaining several prestigious prizes there before entering National Service. He became Senior Medical Officer at R.A.F. North Weald and also to the Black Arrows, a forerunner to the present Red Arrows. Rather than pursue a hospital-based or academic career he chose to come to Ventnor in 1956, moving to Lawnswood with his first wife Valerie in 1957 as Junior Partner to the eminent Dr. Carl-Prausnitz Giles and later to Dr. Bruce Williamson. He later formed a partnership with Dr. Norman Beisley with whom he had trained at King's College.

Lawnswood became Dr. Champion's surgery as well as his home and generations of families came to consult him over the years. After his retirement in 1995, he continued to act as Locum to the Albert Street and Grove House Practices in Ventnor and to the doctors brand in Brading. He remained a strong advocate for his beloved N.H.S.

Dr. Champion devoted much time to local history projects and self published several books on Ventnor related subjects, and had co-ordinated other works with his second wife Sharon and her father Ramon Downer. these will remain on his website iwhistory.com

 

Dr. Champion in his Surgery at Lawnswood.