Thomas Loftus Townshend Lewis CBE (27 May 1918 – 9 April 2004) was an internationally renowned English obstetrician / gynecologist who served on the council of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists as secretary (1961–1968) and later as senior vice president (1975–1978). He was the author of three books on obstetrics/ gynecology, one of which is considered a classic text on the topic: Progress in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Lewis was appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1979.
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V and comprises five classes across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order.
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to the west and Scotland to the north-northwest. The Irish Sea lies west of England and the Celtic Sea lies to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south. The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain, which lies in the North Atlantic, and includes over 100 smaller islands, such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) is professional association based in London, United Kingdom. Its members, including people with and without medical degrees, work in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G), that is, pregnancy, childbirth, and female sexual and reproductive health. The College has over 16,000 members in over 100 countries with nearly 50% of those residing outside the British Isles.
Lewis was born in Hampstead, North London. Raised by his paternal grandparents in Cape Town, South Africa, until the age of 15, he then went to London to live with his father Neville Lewis. His grandfather had been mayor of Cape Town. He studied medicine at Jesus College, Cambridge, before enlisting as a doctor in the South African Air Force in 1943, and married Alexandra "Bunty" Moore in 1946. In 1948 he was appointed consultant at Guy's Hospital in London, and was consultant for Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital and Chelsea Hospital for Women from 1950 until his retirement in 1983.
Hampstead, commonly known as Hampstead Village, is an area of London, England, 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. It has some of the most expensive housing in the London area. The village of Hampstead has more millionaires within its boundaries than any other area of the United Kingdom.
North London is an informally and inexactly defined part of London, England which covers some of the area of the capital lying north of the River Thames. North London extends from Clerkenwell and Finsbury on the edge of the City of London financial district, to Greater London's boundary with Hertfordshire. The constituent districts were traditionally part of Middlesex with the exception of a small area around Barnet which was part of Hertfordshire.
Cape Town is the oldest city in South Africa, colloquially named the Mother City. It is the legislative capital of South Africa and primate city of the Western Cape province. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality.
Lewis was an avid athlete, and was selected to play for the England national rugby union team, although illness prevented him from representing his country.
The England national rugby union team competes in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship outright on a total of 28 occasions, 13 times winning the Grand Slam and 25 times winning the Triple Crown, making them the most successful team in the tournament's history. They are ranked third in the world by the International Rugby Board as of 3 February 2019. England are to date the only team from the northern hemisphere to win the Rugby World Cup, when they won the tournament back in 2003. They were also runners-up in 1991 and 2007.
Lewis died at his home in Wimbledon, London, aged 85.
Wimbledon is a district and town of south-west London, England, 7.1 miles (11.4 km) south-west of the centre of London at Charing Cross, in the London Borough of Merton, south of Wandsworth, north-east of New Malden, north-west of Mitcham, west of Streatham and north of Sutton. Wimbledon had a population of 68,187 in 2011 which includes the electoral wards of Abbey, Dundonald, Hillside, Trinity, Village, Raynes Park and Wimbledon Park.
