Dr John Horder

Published: 06 September, 2012
by DAN CARRIER

THE life and achievements of Primrose Hill-based GP Dr John Horder were celebrated on Saturday.

Dr Horder, who died in June aged 92, was a GP at the James Wigg Practice in Kentish Town and a former president of the Royal College of General Practitioners. He was considered the father of modern general practice and played a key role in the development of GP services across the UK from the birth of the NHS in 1948.

More than 300 people packed St Mary’s Church in Primrose Hill to hear tributes to Dr Horder’s many talents: he was an accomplished pianist, with a particular interest in church organs, and also a celebrated landscape painter who exhibited at the Royal Academy.

President of the Royal College of General Practitioners from 1979 to 1982, he was the first UK GP to be appointed a consultant to the World Health Organisation.

His expertise was drawn on by European countries, earning him honorary memberships of colleges and societies. He was even labelled “the Pope of Portuguese general practice”.

Stories of Dr Horder’s extraordinary life included how he managed to marry his professional interests with his pastimes. He would combine medical conferences with visits to churches and cathedrals in the host cities.

Professor Hugh Barr recalled how Dr Horder was once accidentally locked inside an organ loft in Durham. The only way to raise the alarm was to “pull out all the stops” and play the organ as loud as possible to attract attention.

Those attending heard a recording of Dr Horder playing the organ in Tewkesbury Cathedral, including works by Bach and Vaughan Williams.

Among those present on Saturday were current and ex-presidents of the Royal College of General Practitioners, Dr Iona Heath, Dr Stuart Carne and Dr Clare Gerarda; Sir Donald Irvine, ex-chairman of the General Medical Council; and playwright Alan Bennett and neuro-surgeon and opera director Jonathan Miller.

Dr Heath, who once ran Caversham Medical Practice in Kentish Town, described Dr Horder as a “guardian angel”.

Other speakers included Professor Michael Modell, Professor Hugh Barr and Professor Marshall Marinker, who said that medicine was Dr Horder’s religion, describing him as “inspirational” and “the most loyal and kind friend you could have”.