William Phillipps

William Owen Sawtell Phillipps FRCS(Ed) FRACS
General Surgeon
31 August 1926 – 11 June 2018

William Owen Sawtell (known as Bill) Phillipps was born in Wellington to William John Phillipps, an Ethnologist at the Dominion Museum, and Esther (née Waldie), who was a graduate of Wellington Girls College. Bill commenced his education at Khandallah School and then went to Wellington College, where he excelled academically and at athletics. With an ear for music, Bill learned to play the piano and was a singer in the Anglican Boys Choir. 

Although his father thought Bill might like to take up a career in accounting, being very proficient at mathematics, he chose medicine instead. He was admitted to Otago Medical School, graduating MB ChB in 1950. During his time in Dunedin he was University table tennis champion for several years and was awarded a University Blue. After spending a year as an Anatomy Demonstrator, Bill worked as a House Surgeon at Wellington Hospital, meeting Patricia Martin, a trained nurse. They married in 1952 and moved to Rotorua Hospital for one year. In 1954, after working briefly as a locum for general practices in the North Island, Bill and Pat travelled to England where Bill took up a position as a senior house officer at Kingston on Thames. In 1956 he moved to a similar position at Carshalton Children’s Hospital, spending two years there and gaining his FRCSEd. Bill was a surgical registrar at South Devon and East Cornwall Hospital, Plymouth during the years1958-9 and at Southend General Hospital in 1960.

In the UK Bill acquitted himself well and was highly thought of by both staff and patients alike. His colleagues described him as a ’first class surgeon’, capable, enthusiastic and conscientious. Surgeon A. G. Dingley of Southend-On-Sea Hospital noted his common-sense approach to surgery and being trustworthy with even the most complicated of cases. Mentors included Sir Gordon Gordon-Taylor, Dick Franklin (who was a protégé of George Grey Turner), Harold Nixon and Denis Browne.

Bill and Pat, now with four children, Jeanette, Michelle, Matthew and Adam, returned to New Zealand by sea, when Bill became Acting Surgeon Superintendent at Oamaru Hospital. The following year, 1961, he was admitted FRACS and was appointed to the North Canterbury Hospital Board. The family duly moved to Christchurch and the youngest child, Michael, was born. Bill was a Consulting Surgeon with a part-time private practice there until 1991 when he retired from his hospital appointment. By that time he had developed a special interest in bariatric surgery. He was supportive and encouraging of junior staff and his gentlemanly kindness was often commented upon. He ceased private practice in 1994 and eventually Bill and Pat moved to Auckland to be near their family.

Bill’s hobbies included vintage cars and he owned an Overland 1929 which he often took on rallies. He was also very interested in antiquarian horology and had an extensive clock and watch collection which he maintained himself. Under the tutelage of Christchurch furniture maker Frank Hill, he completed a number of items from recycled kauri, including two small desks and a carpenter’s workbench. Bill was a vegetarian for much of his life.

Bill is greatly missed by his wife Patricia, his children Jeanette, Michelle, Matthew, Adam and Michael, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

This obituary was prepared by Michelle Osborne and other members of the Phillipps family.