Following the death of highly respected member of the Brampton community, Dr Roger Nelson, who passed away from cancer on May 11, the 86-year-old’s close friends, Ian and Lorraine Bullough, paid tribute in the most heartfelt way, and wrote the following obituary for the popular GP and “dear friend”.

Roger’s family have asked Lorraine and I to put together his obituary – an enormous privilege and the easiest of tasks, for Roger had so many strings to his bow, we were lucky to know him so well and for so long.

Many of you reading these few words will have known Roger both professionally and socially so please forgive me for any omissions.

Born in Newcastle, Roger’s education began at Lime House, Wetheral, where he and his brother, Jeremy, refused to fit the mould and were expelled – a recurring theme throughout their lives.

They were then separated, Roger to St Nicholas in Hexham, where he met Sally, and subsequently to Sedbergh, which he loved. In fact, the school song still brought tears to his eyes.

He moved to Newcastle for his medical training, and in due course joined the Brampton Practice with his father, Dr Digby Nelson, and Dr Harry Nelson.

With no disrespect meant to others, Roger was a doctor in the slightly old fashioned interpretation – his bedside manner faultless, and to many Brampton families, he featured as they entered this world in the Cottage Hospital and departed from it.

Such was his devotion to expectant mothers that he attended one birth resplendent in his morning suit, fresh from a wedding.

As well as being an accomplished doctor, Roger had a vast number of hobbies at which he excelled.

He was a knowledgeable plantsman, especially of Meconopsis Lingholm, becoming a Life Member of the Meconopsis Society. He enjoyed painting, ornithology and entomology, but his greatest skill was undoubtedly furniture making – 20 Windsor chairs, music stands, dumb waiters, Pembroke tables and others, but his final creation, a superb violin – notoriously difficult – was perhaps the pinnacle of his woodwork repertoire.

He was a countryman of note and a fine shot, and I spent some memorable days with him and his beloved Labrador. When he retired, his partners gave him a Labrador puppy, which meant a great deal to him.

He loved skiing, tennis and squash. Frustrated by the lack of local squash facilities in the 1960s, he instigated the building of Brampton Squash Court, and subsequent hugely successful Squash Club.

He also enjoyed Bridge, and was a member of both Eden and Brampton Bridge Clubs.

More recently he moved from Four Gables on the outskirts of Brampton to Ivy Cottage, where, with his daughter Lucinda’s architectural skill, he enjoyed contributing to a major building project, and again established a wonderful garden.

Roger’s close friends and people from far and wide will miss him so very much, but are without doubt richer for having known him, and enjoying time with him.

He leaves his wife of 61 years, Sally, son Michael and daughters,Wendy and Lucinda.