Dr. John Crane: R.I.P.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

I fully realise that if a Broadcasrer like David Vine, with his 45 years National Broadcasting, drew little response on EDF, then this thread, realistically, wil not, but how sad I feel having just heard at the end of Match Of The Day that Doctor John Crane has passed away.

John Crane was my local GP in Walworth in Faraday Street, Walworth and his practice was moved, when The Aylesbury Estate was built in the Mid-1960's to a larger, less informal Practice situated in one of the new Tower Blocks.

I vividly recall (for no logical reason) being 6 years old sitting with My Mum and hearing "Stranger On THe Shore" by Acker Bilk being played while in the Waiting-Room in his Surgery in 1960,almost 50 years ago, while waiting to see Dr. Crane, an old style GP with a great personality and manner.

Imagine my surprise when 20 years later I saw him on TV as The Arsenal FC Doctor and then later travelling round the World as The England Football Team Doctor!

He seemed to drop out of the Public Eye 4/5 years ago and normally I would have never known of his whereabouts or circumstances but I just caught it mentioned as a small tribute b4 The Arsenal Match, just now.

Lovely, friendly Guy.

God Bless John and Thanks M8.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

I feel one of the reasons I'm sad is that he personified the people and way of life in that era who lived in the little Village that Walworth, in the heart of big bad South London, was then.

He was Young, keen,enthusistic and Professional and worked in this Practice with a Dr. Dyson, a more formal, "colder" Doctor. John Crane was the Man most wanted to be seen by. Operating in a quiet, safe Terraced Street until the bulldozers came in The Mid-1960's to destroy the character of Walworth building the, then, largest Estate in Europe combining The Aylesbury and Heygate Estates and crushing all The Terraced Rows.

It was never quite the same when he took his place as part of the much larger Surgery, built in the Estate itself.

Now 50 years later this Young Man (as I remember him) is no more, which is a loss for all who knew him as a Patient or in another capacity.

[Pickle]

Nice memories TLS, he obviously made a great impression on you. What a fantastic career he had!

[Ladygooner]

All the Arsenal players wore black arm bands at the match and had his picture up on the big screen - nice touch

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Yes Pickle! Part of my sentimental sadness is that he symbolised a bygone era imo.

Ordinary folk could pop round and be seen without appointment in much simpler times.

Then The Government and Southwark Council intervened as "they" knew what was best for that Community...they well nigh destroyed it.My Aunts were forced to move from their Terraced House, backing onto ours, into the 12th Floor of an impersonal Tower Block where most residents never knew who lived next door to them.

Of course the alleys and hidden spots in those blocks were breeding grounds for the crime that was to start to infest the area years later.

There were, at least. 4 Murders in Walworth since the Summer. Unthinkable, then.

Ladygooner: Typical classy Arsenal touch, which was nice.

[Mick Mac]

Yes TLS - obviously I did not know Dr Crane - but your thoughts ring true with me as regards how doctors used to be - when I was young I had chronic asthma and our local Doctor, Dr Doyle would be out to see me at any time day or night - a real professional and a charachter. Nowadays you go to the local medical centre and you never see the same doctor twice, and out of hours coverage is farmed out to some agency of locums who are apparently inept.

Doctors used to be real people who local people really knew and respected but now i think these larger surgeries have little personality and I think when people are unwell it means a lot for them to know they are going to see a person they know, rather than a strange face.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Mick Mac Wrote:

Doctors used to be real people who local people really knew and respected but now i think these larger surgeries have little personality and I think when people are unwell it means a lot for them to know they are going to see a person they

know, rather than a strange face.

Thats the distinct impression I get as well Mick.

[PeckhamRose]

Just so's you know, my own surgery is not a big medical centre, and I can see which ever doctor I ask to see if she or he is in that time, but all the doctors there I respect, and like. Whilst they may not come out to me themselves at night because of the SELDOC system, I do just want to say I feel that this surgery (Nunhead surgery) is the best ever I have used.

As for this topic, that is a lovely posting TLS. An ex boyfriend's Mum lived in Portland Street and remembered how it was before the council knocked it down and maybe she knew that doctor too. However, she did say the houses were horrid and cold and damp and was glad to see them go! I did not know my neighbours in my little block, till I went round and introduced myself to them and found some common ground. However, I am not condoning the building of those dreadful 10 storey blocks and their scary alleyways though.

[macroban]

All credit for a good life to Dr Crane.

Dr Isadore Crown, one of our local old style proper GPs, is, I think, still with us. Must be ninety if he's a day.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Walking thru' The Footscray Meadows this afternoon in the sunshine(while it lasted!) I stopped at the Riverbank observing the reflections in the water which was rushing thru' the wooded sides of the Bank in the Sunshine amidst the crisp Mid-Winters air.It was a beautiful sight and I thought Dr.John Crane could no longer enjoy these magical moments and my heart sank for a while.

People like John have got to have found a deserved peaceful and happy eternal resting place at journey's end,surely.....

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

If you get the chance, do read Dr Isadore Crown's books. They give a lovely feel for what Peckham used to be like.

[????]

*grabs PGC, TLS & Microban round shoulders

..."Underneath the arches"

[????]

...."Doin' the Lambeth walk..oi"

[Tony.London Suburbs]

???? Wrote:

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> ...."Doin' the Lambeth walk..oi"

Funny you should write that as, one of the sad things, for me, about this, is that the only person who also knew him well that I also know is my Mum who died in '96 so I'd love to reminisce with her but, frustratingly, can't.

On her 70th Birthday I bought 2 tickets to see "The Lambeth Walk" in The WEst End..Instead of being happy she said "I had ENOUGH of the bleedin' Lambeth Walk" during the War and refused to go! Love the little Angel..and we never did! (but she appreciated the gesture!)...

[Tony.London Suburbs]

???? Wrote:

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> *grabs PGC, TLS & Microban round shoulders

>

>

> ..."Underneath the arches"

:)) I need to earn some more readies fairly sharpish otherwise I'll be living there...

"Cardboard City, here I come!

"Right back where I started from!...",,,,

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Oh Quids, I'd love to have a little sing song, but right now I have to hang out my washing on the Siegfried Line.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

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> Oh Quids, I'd love to have a little sing song, but

> right now I have to hang out my washing on the

> Siegfried Line.

You still can!

There's no Business like Snow Business..:))

[macroban]

Interesting that ???? quotes two dreadful "working class" songs written by middle class writers.

TLS' Mum had it about right.

[woofmarkthedog]

I'm writing this with a heavy heart & my eyes sore from the tears i've shed.

I had the honor of knowing Dr John Crane well, I lived at his house in Camberwell when i first moved to London nearly 20 years ago, he truly was one of the dearest ,funniest original characters that I ever had the pleasure of knowing.

We had hair raising drives to matches , near disasters on his sailing boat in a force 11 storm ,the best christmas morning parties ,he and Penny would invite about 20 people over on christmas morning...they loved a party & he certainly enjoyed his life.

I was married his daughter for a time and he treated me like a son pulling me into line when i needed it most, he didn't mince his word but you knew he meant well. He will be missed by all those who knew & loved him. He died at home surrounded by his family a day short of his eightieth birthday.

I know that Arsenal & England players and fans will miss him also.

God bless you John ,you were one of a kind

xx

Woof

[Tony.London Suburbs]

woofmarkthedog Wrote:

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> I'm writing this with a heavy heart & my eyes sore

> from the tears i've shed.>

> I had the honor of knowing Dr John Crane well.....

> God bless you John ,you were one of a kind >

> xx>

> Woof

Lovely post M8!

That means he was just over 30 when I visited him at his Old Practice in Faraday Street, off Portland Street.

He will be missed by many.

[solstice]

I used to live in Faraday St until it was demolished, Dr. Crane was my doctor for years. He was a very good doctor, never got fobbed off, and I never came out thinking that was a waste of time. Its very sad news, my mother who is 83 will be upset when I tell her.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

solstice Wrote:

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> I used to live in Faraday St until it was

> demolished, Dr. Crane was my doctor for years. He

> was a very good doctor, never got fobbed off, and

> I never came out thinking that was a waste of

> time. Its very sad news, my mother who is 83 will

> be upset when I tell her.

Do you remember Dr.Dyson his Working Partner solstice?

Did you go to a local Primary School there?

I used to live in Faraday Street also, then the bulldozers came(6)

[solstice]

Yes I remember Dr. Dyson,another good doctor, we were lucky in Faraday St, I lived at number 43, we had the top flat and my grand parents lived below. I went to Michael Faraday School, from 1963 to 1966, then moved near Old Kent Rd and went to Surrey Square School. What number did you live at?

[Tony.London Suburbs]

I was only 5 when I left as I was just about to start Michael Faraday but went to St.Peters, Liverpool Grove instead, as My Family moved to "Harry Hinkins House" one of 2 2-Floor Blocks behind Marks and Spencer in Trafalgar Street(Cadiz St.).

Our house was halfway down on the right before the little passage at the end that took you to the next street behind us which was Westmoreland Road, where our Aunt backed onto our house.

We lived next door to "Lsura/Ernie and Rodney", and My Mum and Dad were called Bill and Kit, but I don't know the number!

[solstice]

I spoke to my mum but her memory is`nt that great, she does`nt remember your family, but she was sad to hear about Dr. Crane. Do you remember the Nutland family, Susan Nutland went to St. Peters she had long light brown hair and was rather tubby, so we could have played together, I remember one of the older boys making a little cart decorated with beer bottle caps and trying to charge a penny to pull you up and down the street, I was most upset when my mum refused to give me a penny I got my ride in the end.