The new President of Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is a Briggensian, Professor Sandy Trees. Professor Trees, who became President of RCVS in July, qualified from Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in 1969.
Even before that however, at Brigg Grammar School, he had a great interest in natural history and biology. As well as bird nesting, this interest would lead to such activities as burying dead foxes in the garden so that he could dig the skeleton up a year later to reconstruct it, he recalls. As a teenager he set up the "Scunthorpe Amateur Naturalist Club" with a few friends.
Professor Trees chose his career with his love of the outdoors and biology in mind. Among his other interests since that time has been mountaineering.
Following a research expedition to Kenya and a year in mixed general practice, the new President completed a PhD on bovine babesiosisn 1976, and then worked at Elanco (Rome) as veterinary advisor for their Middle-East/North African operations.
In 1980 he was appointed Lecturer in Veterinary Parasitology at the University of Liverpool, became Head of the Parasite and Vector Biology Division of the LSTM in 1994 and then Dean of Liverpool’s Faculty of Veterinary Science.
His research has produced over 120 scientific papers and numerous presentations at regional, national and international conferences. He has made major contributions to the knowledge of neosporosis (a parasitic disease affecting dogs and cattle) and to the control of human river blindness. He has been awarded the Selborne Research Medal of the Association for Veterinary Teaching and Research Work.
He was a Council member of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, a founding Diplomate of the European Veterinary Parasitology College and is an Executive Board member of the World Association for Veterinary Parasitology.
Though he stepped down as Dean of the Veterinary Faculty at Liverpool in 2008, Professor Trees continues to supervise PhD students and teach undergraduates.
Stanley Cranidge left Brigg Grammar School in 1939 and became a Police Cadet in the Lincolnshire Constabulary based at Skegness. This was the start of his 35 years' service in the police force. Mr Cranidge died earlier this year in Scunthorpe General Hospital. Read more about the life of this Briggensian on this special page.
His daughter Judith Robinson writes:
“I thought you might be interested to know that my Father, Frank Holmes, who was an old pupil of your school, will be celebrating his hundreth birthday on May 3rd this year.
I made a visit with him to the school 12 or so years ago when the Headmaster at the time was kind enough to show him around and looked him up in the old year books. I recall that an article about him and the visit appeared in the school magazine at that time, a copy of which you kindly forwarded to him.
He left the school around 1926 when he was Captain of Football and has many happy memories of his time there. From school he joined the Midland Bank (HSBC) and retired from there at the age of 60. He has now been one of their pensioners longer than his working time with them!
Unfortunately he is now physically very limited but his mind is as sharp as ever. I thought you might like to pass on the news to your pupils of today that, in his case, his time with you seems to have been an excellent start for a long and very fulfilled life.”
He writes from Sheffield:
"My thanks to all members of the Committee for organising the 2nd Annual Dinner... I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, being welcomed by both young and old. It was well worth the drive from Sheffield and I am looking forward to repeating the process next year as I have a new licence to 2012....
I received another letter from Frank Gant (New Zealand) in May, to which I have just replied."
He sends his regards and writes:
“I was thinking of you all at the dinner ... and I am told that it all went very well and was extremely enjoyable. The 1940s group were pleased with their new table (thanks Barbara). I timed in my imgination the singing of Fortitudine for around 9.30 pm. Was I correct?!
I am pleased to say that my hand op went OK. The surgeon decided that it was bordering on the "pre-cancerous" stage and put the burner on it instead. It should be healed I hope in a fortnight or so."
Derek also sends a picture of a fine woven OBA badge which he had intended to bring along to the Dinner. He wishes to donate it to the Association and hopes that a use can be found for it.
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