Alan Chancellor was one of last to walk the path from general practice to College fellowship, (even if our early presidents had had similar careers). He was different in that he returned to general practice, where subsequently, he had a most successful career, not only for faithful patient service but also in the service of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, to which he gave an enormous amount of his time and whose research program he headed

Born in Artarmon, Sydney on 27 February 1922, the elder son of Harold W Chancellor (one of Sydney’s leading accountants) and his wife May (née Green), Alan attended Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore), North Sydney, graduating MB BS with honours in 1945 having been a prosector. His student nickname was ‘Chanc’ (as in chancre). He was noted for his keenness, his reverence for the art of medicine and his essential elegance.

After residency at RPAH and later, Royal Hobart, he worked for two years as an assistant in a general practice in Chatswood, then moved to a group general practice in Merrylands. Because the two senior partners were surgically qualified, Alan and the fourth partner, Ken Paver, felt called to specialise in medicine. He won the then Membership by examination in 1959. The normal expectation was that a man would put up his shingle as consultant physician and start the long climb out of penury. However, Alan remained faithful to the vocation of general practice, although, he was an honorary physician on the staff of the Parramatta Hospital, and specialised in diabetes mellitus and later, oncology. But he became increasingly committed to the RACGP, co-authored three books on the work of the general practitioner and for some years supervised and directed research projects undertaken by members of that College. In 1989 he was awarded the Rose-Hunt Medal by the RACGP.

In 1947 Alan married a nurse, Patricia Alford Ashmead (daughter of a professional soldier). Sir Thomas Greenaway (qv 2) liked to believe he had brought them together. The marriage was very happy and harmonious, Patricia supporting him in his College work. There were three children; Sue a physiotherapist, John, a realtor and Murray, a civil engineer.

Characterized by his integrity, diligence, skill and patience, he always looked as if he had just had a kind thought about somebody or something. Moustached and handsome, his bearing was grave yet he radiated warmth and sincerity. Brought up a Methodist, he had strong religious beliefs. He was a man content with the professional path he had chosen. In his research work he derived some pride from being second cousin to EH Derrick a pioneer Australian medical scientist. In his scarce free time he enjoyed photography, gardening and cooking, in all three of which he excelled.

Always most courteous, he once approached a colleague and asked shyly for some help. A matter had got out of his control. Alan’s wife Pat, in parking their car, had somehow, got it into the garage sideways.

His last five years were a Calvary; to say that he bore his illness courageously is a serious understatement. Macroglobulinaema led to amyloid and renal failure. For more than four years he had home peritoneal dialysis four times a day. His illness was marked by extreme muscle wasting and recurrent bouts of peritonitis. He died on 7 July 1993 and was buried after a service at the Uniting Church, Chatswood.