Local Faces: Colin and Daphne Campbell
Daphne was born in Blackheath in 1928, settling in Northwood. She was educated at Pinner County School, and took a two year Orthopaedic course at the Wingfield Morris Orthopaedic Hospital (now the Nuffield OC) during which time she decided to study Chiropody and then trained at the London Foot Hospital, eventually opening her own practice in Northwood Hills in 1951.
Colin was born in Edinburgh in 1927. He had a family background of Civil Engineering (Railways). His father’s professional career (eventually reaching the position of Chief Civil Engineer at Kings Cross/LNER) took the family south of the border to live in Northwood. Colin was educated at Merchant Taylor’s School and in 1944 volunteered to do his National Service in the Royal Navy. He spent one year in Sydney which included VE and VJ Day. He travelled to Australia via the Panama Canal and returned via Japan (Kure/Hiroshima) and the Suez Canal.
On demobilisation, with an ex-service grant he decided to study medicine and returned to Northwood. Daphne returned from Oxford in 1947 and they both joined the choir of St John’s Presbyterian Church Northwood where friendship commenced. Colin studied medicine at St. Thomas’ Hospital, London. After a seven year courtship they became engaged in 1953 on the day he qualified, marrying eventually in 1954.
Colin had had organ (and piano) lessons at school and continues to play the organ as a hobby to the present time. Both enjoy choral singing—Colin has been a member of Aylesbury Choral Society for over 50 years.
Colin wanted to enter General Practice and there followed a succession of work in practice which included Steyning (West Sussex), Dunbar (East Lothian) and Nottingham seeking the ideal practice. He was fortunate to be appointed to a single-handed dispensing practice in Waddesdon in 1960. (Dr McConnell, Wendover, was on the interviewing panel). Daphne had a busy time as the “doctor’s wife” living in a very pleasant Rothschild house (The Roses) built for the doctor in 1904, which included a small consulting room, dispensary and waiting room (six chairs). This house had six bedrooms which was ideal as they had five daughters and a Basset Hound. Heather-school nurse in Guernsey, Margaret-principal flute Royal Opera House, twins Jenny and Susy both PE teachers and Fiona-photographer, website click here. Their daughters are all very musical as are the ten grandchildren who play a variety of instruments, one being a member of the National Youth Orchestra (French Horn).
A single handed practice meant that Daphne’s movements were restricted due to telephone duties but she still managed to fill in the time with craft work e.g. patchwork quilts and cross stitching. Life was made easier as they had a succession of Swiss au pair girls, one of whom Erika, met and married from the house, a policeman (Peter Stride, WN Local Face June 1996) and they settled in Wendover.
The family spent 31 years happily in Waddesdon joining in village activities – WI, Meals on Wheels, and British Legion. Colin retired in 1991. From a tied house they were fortunate to find an excellent house in Wendover. Daphne joined the WI and U3A whilst Colin did locum work for five years knowing the local medical set up very well. In addition he did several trips as Cruise Doctor with Swan Hellenic. Daphne joined him as the Ship’s Librarian on trips on the Mediterranean and on the River Nile.
Colin and Daphne have been volunteers at Florence Nightingale Hospice shop since it opened in 1994. They both host “Listening to Music” groups (WI and U3A, with Colin in the Travel Team). Colin is very active in Probus Club and U3A as well as being the organist on alternate Sundays back at St. John’s URC, Northwood, where it all began.
In 2015 Colin was apponted MBE, click here for more details.