Dennis Harry Morgan

Dr Morgan was born in Ely in 1930. He went to a small primary school where he won the Knitting Prize - the first of his many distinctions in life! He was a King's Scholar at King's School, Ely, and during that time he was an enthusiastic, but undistinguished, goalkeeper for Ely United. At King's he won the English-Speaking Unionist Scholarship which took him to St George's School, Rhode Island, Newport, USA.

Originally he was destined to read classics, but it was during his time in America that he decided to read medicine. On his return, he gained a place at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he won a University Scholarship to St Mary's, Paddington. In addition to his academic prowess, he was a very good all-round sportsman and, as an undergraduate, swam for Cambridge.

His interest in psychiatry was aroused when he was a House Physician at St Mary's and he took up posts first at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital and then subsequently, in the Royal Infirmary, Manchester. During his time in Manchester he met his future wife, Jackie, who was a newly qualified staff nurse at Gaskell House. They married six months later and subsequently Jackie devoted much of her time to looking after their four children and supporting Dennis in his career.

Dennis moved to the Middlesex Hospital where he was a senior registrar, and then moved to Birmingham where he was appointed Senior Lecturer and First Assistant in 1969. He was an inspirational teacher and many future psychiatrists found their initial interest ignited by his lectures when they were undergraduates. He was elected MRCP in 1961, MRCPsych in 1972 and proceeded to be elected FRCPsych in 1981.

In 1976 he decided to return to his East Anglian roots and took up a post as consultant psychiatrist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn. He worked tirelessly to heighten the profile of psychiatry in East Anglia: was Deputy Adviser and also worked as a Second Opinion for the Mental Health Commission.

He was a man of many talents and had a wide range of interests. He took a leading role in King's Lynn where he lived. He had always been active in local matters, but, following his retirement three years ago, he devoted his energy and gifts to researching local history, music (which was always one of his great loves) and ornithology. He was a keen bridge player. At the time of his death he was Vice Chairman of the Lynn Civic Society and Chairman of the Governors at Springwood High School.

He collapsed and died on 11 April 1999. His funeral in St Margaret's Church was attended by an enormous congregation representing people from all walks of life. His wife Jackie and their four children and two grandchildren survive him. He will be remembered, by all of us who knew him, as a man of great compassion and humanity.