Geoffrey Beck was born at Bromyard, Herefordshire. His father Edward Ashton Anthony Beck was a medical practitioner and his mother Angela Lucy née Pownall was the daughter of a clergyman. Geoffrey was educated at Epsom College and St Bartholomew’s Hospital, University of London. Following a brief period as house physician at Bart’s he joined the RAF as a medical officer in 1941, serving in the Middle East and Africa. He was mentioned in despatches and demobilized in 1947.

From 1947-52 he was successively registrar and senior registrar in medicine and dermatology at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. From 1952-53 he was senior registrar in the skin department of Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, and he then served as assistant in the skin departments of St Thomas’ Hospital and St John’s Hospital for Diseases of the Skin from 1953-57. He took a holistic approach ahead of his time, always seeking the simple treatment - one for which patients could take a personal responsibility. In 1957 he was appointed consultant dermatologist to Peterborough, Stamford, King’s Lynn and Wisbech Hospitals.

He was a very unselfish and modest man, never seeking recognition or reward. In his younger days he had been an accomplished athlete and in his latter years his interests included rose growing, music and the work of LEPRA. He was married twice, his first wife, Anna, died in 1981. His four sons, a daughter and his second wife, Barbara, survived him.

V C Luniewska

[Brit.med.J..1992,304,1306]