Obituary

Leslie James Topham, MB ChB, MRCP, DO(Lond.), FRAC0,FRCOphth

Leslie Topham was born in Stoke-on-Trent, England, on 28 January 1914. From 1937 to 1943 he studied medicine at Birmingham Medi- cal School, obtaining MB ChB in 1943 and MRCS (England) and LRCP (London) in 1944. Then followed a period as Medical Registrar at Salisbury General Infirmary from 1944 to 1946, after which he entered general practice in Stoke- on-Trent from 1947 to 195 1. He gained MRCP in 1949.

In 195 1 he married Marjorie Ebrill.

From 1951 to 1954 he worked with the Colonial Medical Service, serving as Medical Of- ficer in Nigeria.

In 1955 he travelled to Australia and became Medical Superintendent at Barcaldine Hospital in central Queensland for a period. He returned to the United Kingdom on his father’s death, and then in 1956 he took up the study of ophthalmology at Birmingham Eye Hospital. He obtained DO in 1957.

From 1957 to 1965 he worked in Papua New Guinea as specialist ophthalmologist in Port Moresby, Lae and Rabaul.

In 1965 he returned to Australia and set up private ophthalmological practice in Townsville with an appointment as consultant ophthalmolo- gist to Townsville General Hospital. In 1978 he was made FRACO.

The Tophams returned toYork in the United Kingdom in 1982. Although retired, he contin- ued to consult in surrounding areas until 1994. Les’s life-long hobby was photography, and his interests included tennis and cricket, history and debating. He enjoyed reading in his fine library at his home in York. In 1954, in Calabar, Nigeria, he entered Freemasonry and he remained a member until his death.

Les died from a malignancy on 3 May 1995 and is survived by his devoted wife Marjorie.

Graeme Moore

394 Australian and New Zealand Journal of Ophthalmology 1996; 24(4)