Sparrow in the Hall

Robin Jelliffe grew up in wartime England fascinated with aircraft, going on to complete medical training in the years following the end of WW2. His accounts of life and medical training capture the essence of life at that time, with some humour. After marrying Jillian in 1951, they elected to go to Nigeria in government service, assigned to remote locations in northern Nigeria. With responsibility as the only doctor for large areas, this was indeed medical pioneering at its best. Robin describes in vivid detail the challenges of providing medical care in an age only just discovering antibiotics, and in a place where infrastructure, including medical equipment, was sparse. After 4 years in Nigeria and two years back in UK, they emigrated to Australia with their then 3 sons, a fourth born later in Australia. Working initially in rural QLD as a hospital superintendent, after 2 years they moved to Coffs Harbour on the east coast of NSW where Robin worked as a GP, hospital superintendent and surgeon until retirement. Once again his descriptions of general practice are illuminating and often humorous. He learnt to fly after arriving in Australia and over the years built and flew two homebuilt aircraft, seeing the fulfilment of his aviation dreams. His story is a fascinating account of life and medicine in an age now surpassed by advances in technology and medical innovation.