John Stuart Newlinds, OAM, MB BS, FRCOG, FRANZCOG, DGO

John Newlinds was born on 6 December 1928 in Stanmore, Sydney, and grew up near Grafton in northern New South Wales, where his father was a farmer and a sawmill operator. In 1946, he commenced medicine at the University of Sydney. After graduating in 1954, he was a resident medical officer at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney and then at Royal Hobart Hospital.

After working as a registrar at Crown Street Women’s Hospital in Sydney, he was appointed medical superintendent there from 1959 to 1962. In 1961, in consultation with Dr William McBride, he was instrumental in ensuring that thalidomide was not given to obstetric patients in the hospital. In 1959, he married Mary Campbell, a paediatric registrar at the hospital.

John and Mary spent 2 years in England while John attained membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. On their return to Australia in 1964, John was one of the first obstetricians appointed at Mona Vale Hospital, where he worked until he retired in 1994. He was a lecturer in gynaecology at Sydney Hospital and later at Royal North Shore Hospital, where he was made a consultant emeritus on retirement.

For many years, he served with the Medical Benevolent Association of New South Wales and was its president from 1992 to 1996, as well as president of Sydney Hospitallers from 1991 to 1992. In 1997, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his contribution to obstetrics and gynaecology, and service with the Medical Benevolent Association.

John lived in Duffys Forest in northern Sydney and had a farm on the Clarence River near Grafton. He was interested in gardening, photography, fishing, sailing and tennis. During retirement, John kept busy as a member of the archives committee and the seniors’ meeting of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

In 2013, John and Mary entered a nursing home at Terrey Hills near their home. John had several mini-strokes in the final 2 months of life and died on 1 September 2015. He is survived by Mary and children Helen, Robert and Peter.