Doctor and consultant physician at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow
Born: June 5, 1921;
Died: September 10, 2017
DR HUGH Brebner, who has died aged 96, was a doctor who became a consultant physician at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow with a special interest in haematology. He was also a lecturer at the University of Glasgow and became head of the medical division at Gartnavel General Hospital.
Born and brought up in Aberdeenshire, he was educated at The Gordon Schools Huntly where his father was headmaster. He became dux of the school and later lifetime honorary president of the former pupils’ association.
He studied to be a doctor in Aberdeen then served in the Royal Army Medical Corps in the Second World War. He travelled across Europe and India in support of the army.
After the war he met Dr Cecilia Smiley (Celia) in Kingston Hospital Surrey. The hospital romance, then marriage, between Aberdeen and Manchester doctors lasted for 65 years.
As a young man Dr Brebner passed his MD by writing a thesis on the nucleic content of bone marrow. He was proud of his farming roots and knew his family history going back to the 18th century. He inherited from his farming forebears a great respect for the weather, due to legendary Aberdeenshire snowdrifts.
His medical career progressed from London to Manchester where he worked at Manchester Royal Infirmary. His first two children Caroline and John were born in the 1950s. He then settled as a consultant physician in Glasgow at the Western Infirmary commencing in February 1956. He was a general physician but he had a special interest in haematology.
Celia then gave birth to twins, Helen and Anne in Glasgow. In addition to clinical work Dr Brebner became an honorary clinical lecturer, teaching undergraduates at the University of Glasgow. He also examined MRCP candidates and university final year students.
Latterly, before retiring in 1984, he became chairman of the Division of Medicine at Gartnavel General hospital in Glasgow. As chairman he presided over meetings of the consultant staff at which decisions were made about medical services and wards, medical staffing and training of doctors.
His children record that everyone spoke of his warm bedside manner and the fact that they held him in such high regard.
He became a governor of Laurel Bank School in the 1970s and all his life, and into retirement, golf was a major activity for him at both Buchanan Castle and Glasgow Golf Clubs.
His kind nature could be seen when his nine grandchildren were around him. He was proud of them all and their achievements whether in medicine, academia, art or business. In recent years he moved from Glasgow to Edinburgh with Celia to be nearer his family. He was especially generous with his time caring for Celia over her last five years until December 2016.
Caroline, John, Helen and Anne, who all survive Hugh, and are based in Surrey, Derbyshire and Edinburgh, pass thanks and good wishes to all who knew him as a doctor and a true gentleman.
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