Nigel Harper

After qualifying I returned to the Northwest and did various jobs around Lancashire before training in Manchester as a geriatrician under Professor Brocklehurst. During this time I kept up my interest in caving and took part in a number of international expeditions including one which broke the world depth record.

I got married and started having children so felt it unwise to continue caving. I obtained a consultant post at Fazakerley Hospital, North Liverpool, this eventually changed it's name to the University Hospital Aintree as nobody knew where Fazakerley was, nor could they pronounce it. Thus began 25 enjoyable years creating a Geriatric unit and fighting the system. We developed special interests in stroke management, metabolic bone disease and tissue viability. Towards the end of this period my marriage broke up and I bought a semi derelict house as a retirement project. Unfortunately I was still working so it proved a somewhat stressful if eventuallyprofitable enterprise.

I have three children(girl/boy/girl) by my first marriage now distressingly middle-aged. The eldest lives in Kent. She spent a lot of time working for various charities, most recently a refugee charity.To further this work she qualified as a barrister in middle life. This year she married her (female) partner of 15 years.

My son has recently bought a house in London. He has worked for various pharmaceutical companies and spent some years in China. He now works for Ventura and is currently coping with the takeover by Philip Morris. He remains unmarried and spends his free time training for triathlon events.

The youngest is living in Liverpool. She struggled with dyslexia when young but is now working for the Health and Safety Executive. She did think of becoming a nurse but was told that nursing was all about writing essays and that she would not be able to cope!! She is married and has two sons still at school.

In 2000 I re-married, Pam, another geriatrician somewhat younger than me. Initially we lived apart, as she was working in Scotland and I in Liverpool. During this time we managed a trip to Antarctica. After I retired we moved to Edinburgh. Pam was still working so I kept house and spent my time gardening. Her mother developed dementia so it fell to me to look after her. An interesting exercise in practical geriatrics,

Pam is very keen on classical music so apart from attending concerts throughout the year we also spend time at the Edinburgh Festivals. Because of this, “summer” holidays are taken in the autumn, usually walking on one of the Atlantic islands. We have also had holidays in the Scottish \islands.

Once the children had left home I took up skiing. Recently we have tended to go downhill skiing in the Alps in January or February and a crosscountry holiday in Scandinavia in March. Of course all this stopped in March 2020. Since then I have spent most of my time gardening. Pam is involved in three charities and has been largely able to keep up this work by Zoom. Apart from this we have mostly spent our time hiding from the virus.

PS (see pictures, above): I also grow pineapples and have produced a spurtle by bodging. NH