In seeking information on the subjects of this section one writes first to the man himself, next to his colleagues and friends, and finally draws upon one's own impressions. This should, one feels, provide a balanced portrait. With someone like John Radford this technique has its limitations. In answer to a request for details he sent a bald list of what turned out to be about a quarter of his achievements and positions which, when spun out to the utmost, made about half a column of very dull print. Frantic appeals to his colleagues produced a formidable catalogue of public and private appointments to be reduced to a manageable article on the man and his achievements.
John Goulburn Radford was born in Goulburn in 1916 the son of the Anglican Bishop of that Diocese. He was educated at Cranbrook School, Sydney, and St. Paul's College, University of Sydney. He graduated M.B.B.S. in 1939 and after a year's residence at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital joined the R.A.A.F., in which he served until 1945.
In 1940 he married Molly Leighton Kesteven, whose father and brother became members of the Queensland Faculty. Dr. H.L.Kesteven, Senior, died at the age of 83 after completing his evening surgery. By his brother's marriage to Monty Kent-Hughes' sister, another interesting family association arose and their nephew, Dr. A.J.Radford, also a member of the College, is now Associate Professor of Community Medicine at the University of Papua and New Guinea.
On his return to civilian life in l945, he began an association first as a resident and later as Honorary CIinical Assistant at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital which lasted until 1964. He entered private practice in Coogee in 1946. There, in the adjacent suburb of Randwick, he became associated with Harvard Merrington, who will hand on the Presidency of the College to him this year. He found time to gain the Membership of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1949. From 1948 to 1968 he served as an Honorary Assistant Physician and later Honorary Physician to the Royal South Sydney Hospital. During this time he combined consultant practice as a physician with his general practice. In 1964, in order to devote more time to the College, he gave up active practice to become a medical officer to a large insurance company [AMP] and since 1967 has served as its senior medical officer.
Dr. Radford has always been active in the organisations of his profession. He has served as Secretary and President of the Eastern Suburbs Medical Association, Honorary Secretary of the Section of Medicine of the New South Wales Branch of the B.M.A. (as it then was), a member of the Executive of the Australian Postgraduate Federation in Medicine, and a member of the Grants Committee of the Postgraduate Medical Foundation of the University of Sydney and a member of the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee. At the present time he is a member of the National Health and Medical Research Council and chairman of its Medicine Advisory Committee, and for good measure a member of the Council of the National Roads and Motorists' Association.
Dr. Radford's association with the College began before the foundation of the Australian College as an autonomous body. He was a member of the New South Wales Faculty of the British College from 1953-56 and Honorary Secretary of the Research Committee. He carried his interest in research into the first Australian Council acting first as Secretary and later Chairman of the Research Committee of Council. As one of his colleagues has said "the success of the research work of the Australian College has been largely due to his energy and drive in the early days". He was the first in Australia to carry out and publish a morbidity survey in general practice.
He represented Australia at the combined meeting of the B.M.A. and C.M.A. in Edinburgh in 1959 and has studied research organisation in general practice in the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and Kenya.
He was awarded the Foundation Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in 1963 and Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1966.
He has been Honorary Treasurer, Assistant Secretary, Honorary Librarian, and Honorary Secretary of College Council. In fact he has served on every Council in one capacity or another since it began and will soon be President. He lists his hobbies as fishing and music, and his terms on Council must rate as one of the longest games of musical chairs recorded.
A man who has been so long and so closely associated with the higher echelons of the College would tend, one might think, to become slightly autocratic and impatient of change. John Radford wears his knowledge and experience lightly. His immense contribution to the College has been quiet, efficient and effective. He puts his encyclopaedic knowledge at the disposal of other members willingly and without parade. He speaks sparingly with the precision and authority of accurate knowledge. He eschews the flamboyance of some of his Council contemporaries, but his precise erudite contributions to debate command respect.
The President of the College must listen and speak, negotiate and represent, inform and inspire. Not many of us have these qualities. John Radford has.
Written by John A. Stevens - First printed in Australian Family Physician Vol 1 March 1972 p.93