Sir John Stallworthy

Sir John Arthur Stallworthy (26 July 1906 – 19 November 1993) was a New Zealand-born British obstetrician who was Nuffield Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Oxford from 1967 to 1973.

Early life and education Stallworthy was born in Auckland in 1906. His brother was psychiatrist Dr K.R. Stallworthy. Stallworthy received his education at Auckland Grammar School and won a scholarship to Auckland University College, where he studied law and medicine. He decided to proceed with medicine and went to the University of Otago. In 1938 he was invited by Professor Chassar Moir to be first assistant in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Oxford University.

Other appointments Stallworthy held a number of positions in the wider medical world. He was president of the Medical Protection Society from 1969 to 1976 and of the British Medical Association (BMA) in 1975. He twice served as president of the Royal Society of Medicine, firstly from 1973 to 1975 and secondly from 1980 to 1982.

Honours and awards He was knighted in 1972 for services to medicine. In 1975 the University of Otago and the University of Leeds awarded him honorary DScs. The British Medical Association awarded him its gold medal in 1981.

Personal life Stallworthy married Margaret Howe in 1936. They had two daughters and one son Jon Stallworthy, biographer, literary critic and Professor of English Literature at Oxford University. His other interests were driving fast cars, writing and gardening.

He died in Oxford of a heart attack on 19 November 1993.