Charles Jesse Clark, FCIEH

It is with much sadness that our colleague Charles Clark died on 19 October 2002 aged 96. A distinguished Fellow of the Chartered Institute, he had enjoyed being a member for well over 60 years.

Qualifying in 1927, he was a keen champion for public health improvements for 75 years. Even in recent years, he contributed letters to EHN about the profession. He has reminded us all that the profession did not "just happen", that we are all the product of many years of hard work and agitation by our predecessors - demanding better training and education.

Mr Clark, while commanding great respect by all, was a kind and caring man who campaigned for better housing and living conditions for all throughout his working life. After retiring from local government just prior to the re-organisation in 1974, he worked part-time for several years for Anchor Housing.

Born in Cardiff in 1906, Mr Clark worked at Barry Urban District Council in south Wales, studying for his professional exams at night classes at Cardiff Technological College. Upon qualifying, he worked for Southampton City Council as a port health officer dealing with infectious diseases and de-ratting work on ocean liners.

After 18 months he went to work as a district sanitary inspector at Oxford, looking after the St Ebbs area. Here he really got stuck into the social housing problems that were so important in his life. He spoke with pride that he was able to make a difference to people's lives.

After a short spell at Bromley, he arrived at Herne Bay Urban District Council where he was appointed chief sanitary inspector and housing manager in 1937. His work was essentially concerned with improving housing, dealing with infectious diseases, immunisation programmes and the many other public health problems of the day. During the war he was also responsible for the town's ambulance and nursing services.

After the war he was instrumental in designing Herne Bay's street lighting and much of the drainage improvements. He was responsible for the introduction of sheltered housing schemes for older persons and pioneered one of the first home help schemes in the country. His contribution to the town is immeasurable. It is claimed that a whole generation of Herne Bay council housing tenants knew him well as the man that placed them in their homes.

Mr Clark retired after 36 years' service remaining in Herne Bay. Since his retirement he has been appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society of Health and remained active in the east Kent branch of environmental health officers. In the 1980s, he was awarded his 50-year certificate.

He was truly a great man in our profession, a well-loved father and grandfather, and a friend to many. He typifies the profession's motto "Amicus humani generis" - he was without doubt a friend of the human race. Mr Clark was cremated at Barham following a Humanist service.

David Ledger, FCIEH

Leslie (Tubby) Lewis, FCIEH

Leslie Lewis died on 7 August 2002, aged 84. He was born in Blaenavon, South Wales. Leslie qualified as a sanitary inspector in 1939 and served with the Royal Army Medical Corps. In 1944 he was seconded to the Overseas Civil Service and worked in Kenya for 12 years. Leslie then spent eight years in Uganda becoming chief health inspector. His work in East Africa included disease control (plague, smallpox, malaria etc), setting up and supervision of dairies, markets, schools and abattoirs (including butchering of hippo meat). During the Mao Mao uprising in Kenya he was hygiene officer at one of the detention camps. He had a great affection for Africa and African people. He had many tales to tell and had almost completed his memoirs before he became ill.

He returned to the UK in 1962 when Uganda gained independence. He worked for the City of Westminster, then with the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington (as a housing specialist during the Rachman problems)

In 1965 on reorganisation of London local government he returned to Westminster. In 1976, coinciding with the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act, he became assistant director of the newly created Commercial Division and worked closely with the Health and Safety Executive. He was the first local authority representative on HELA.

During his years in East Africa, Leslie was actively involved with the Association. He was Hon. Secretary of the RSH East African Examination Board, obtained agreement for their overseas examination to be held in Uganda and appointed lecturers to the school of hygiene there.

On his return to the UK he was a member and Hon. Secretary of the Greater London Centre Council. Between 1973 and 1978 he was a prominent member of the General Council where he was a strong advocate for change. He was elected a Fellow and in 1998 was presented with his 50-year membership certificate at Chadwick Court (His wife, Adeline (Kay) received hers on the same occasion.)

Leslie retired in 1980 and then he and Adeline opened a gift and craft shop. He thoroughly enjoyed running this for 11 years.

Leslie maintained his love of Wales and all things Welsh, including rugby union and Welsh choirs, all his life, but he always said half his heart was in Wales and the other half in Africa.

He is sadly missed by Adeline and by Peter, the surviving son from his first marriage. Also by the widow and family of his elder son, Roger. He will be remembered with affection by the generation of young EHOs in London in the 1960s and 1970s for whom he was a wise mentor and source of inspiration.

Ned Kingcott