Eastbourne historian and retired doctor passes away

John Surtees died earlier this month at the age of 92.

He had been living in the village of Friston for a number of years and was a stalwart member of Eastbourne Local History Society and the East Dean & Friston Local History Group.

He was also the honorary vice-president of the Friends of Eastbourne Hospital.

Dr Surtees’ career began in Liverpool in 1962 and he did his National Service in the Far East where he was a pathologist.

He returned to Liverpool and London and was then appointed consultant pathologist at Eastbourne.

Dr Surtees was also the pathologist to the coroner, a lecturer at Brighton Polytechnic and also set up the pathology department at Eastbourne District General Hospital.

Together with Dr Savile and Forster, Dr Surtees originated the Eastbourne GP vocational training scheme and was president of the town’s British Medical Association branch.

Former medic Peter Nash met Dr Surtees in 1967.

Mr Nash said, “Dr Surtees was always very kind to the junior doctors and was extremely well respected.”

As well as a highly decorated medical career, Dr Surtees’ other passion was history and together with his wife Sheila wrote a number of history books.

Among those he penned was a history of St Mary’s Hospital, a history of Princess Alice Hospital, books on Beachy Head and Eastbourne and a tome on John Bodkin Adams, the Eastbourne GP, convicted fraudster and suspected serial killer.

Dr Surtees and his wife Sheila, who died in 2008, were prominent members of Eastbourne Local History Society and as well as serving as vice-president of the group for several years, he was a valued member of the committee responsible for the publication of the society’s books.

Lloyd Brunt from the East Dean & Friston Local History Group, said he had recently been contacted by one of Dr Surtees’ relatives in the West Country to say he had passed away and his death is believed to have been due to Covid-19.

Mr Brunt paid tribute to his friend.

He said, “John continued to live at Friston until the end and, at first, we often would see him walking around the village for exercise.

“He would stop and chat if he recognised you - his eyesight was getting very poor. He had a 90th birthday party at the Golden Galleon pub and was in great spirits then. Many of his friends and family were present.

“I made him a birthday card with a picture of Bodkin Adams wishing him a happy birthday from one doctor to another. This he greatly enjoyed.

“Eventually walking became too much of a struggle particularly with his deteriorating eyesight and we didn’t see so much of him.

“However, he didn’t live alone and had a full-time carer staying at his house. She would take him for car trips and so he wasn’t entirely housebound.

“Other friends visited him too and his carer often arranged this for him.

“He contributed a great deal to researching and recording local history, giving several talks to our group and many others - including his favourite about Bodkin Adams.

“He was always a cheerful and approachable person with a wealth of knowledge and stories. He will be greatly missed.”

It is understood that Dr Surtees requested that no service be held in the event of his death and asked to be cremated with his ashes interred in his wife’s grave at Friston Church.