Psychiatric Bulletin (2000) 24: 237. doi: 10.1192/pb.24.6.237-a
© 2000 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Psychiatric Bulletin (2000) 24: 237
© 2000 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Peter Johnson
Linford Rees
Peter Johnson was a charismatic person with a wide variety of interests and
talents. He won the Gaskell Medal in
1958.?
Following the completion of his studies at Rugby School, Peter went to St
Bartholomew's Hospital to study medicine. He qualified MRCS, LRCP in 1942 and
was elected FRCPsych in 1978, but his main interest became adolescent
psychiatry. While at St Bartholomew's, he undertook important liaison work
with the Department of Oncology and Obstetrics. He went on to become advisor
to the specialist committees of the Regional Hospital Board. He also became
joint director with Dr Ben Munro in running the adolescent unit at Long Grove
Hospital, one of the first in-patient adolescent units to accommodate both
genders. There he contributed to the training of nurses, psychiatrists,
occupational, art, music and drama therapists.
Peter came from a musical family. He trained in singing and particularly
enjoyed classical music. He was also keen on horseriding, swimming and
running. Despite contracting poliomyelitis in 1951, leaving him with paresis
of one leg, it is interesting to note that he continued to be very active and
even enjoyed dancing with one leg, very much like Zorba the Greek!
Peter had an extensive knowledge of literature, which was one of his great
interests. Later in his life, he devoted a great deal of time to writing
poetry. A number of his poems were published as monographs and he was a
contributor to an innovative publication entitled Poetry London. He
was invited to review a notable publication written by former patients of
Bethlem entitled Beyond Bedlam. He was also interested in languages
and became an expert in French, German, Italian and even started learning
Serbo-Croat. His language skills were very useful in his post-war voluntary
work in Europe, with both children and adults, who had been subjected to the
strains and deprivation of post-war Europe.
Peter leaves a widow, Sonia, a daughter, Joanna, and a son, Nicholas.