My brother-in-law, John Hancock, who has died aged 83, was a runner, climber, cyclist, socialist, naturalist and much loved village doctor. His most challenging adventure came in 1987 when he was expedition doctor on a UK attempt to climb Latok 2 in the Karakoram mountains in the Pakistani-administered Gilgit-Baltistan region.
The expedition photos show John relishing every moment. But it overran, and John was obliged to return to his practice, which led him to trek solo for several days back to civilisation. En route, he loved making contact with local people and was glad to hold impromptu clinics in the villages he passed through.
Born in Bromley, John was the son of Letitia (nee Thomas), a nurse and midwife, and Alfred Hancock, a public health inspector with Bermondsey, and later Southwark, councils. At 11, John won a scholarship to Dulwich college, where he excelled at boxing. Crucially, he also attended his biology teacher’s wildflower field studies and thus developed a love of native orchids.
As a keen scout, he enjoyed climbing Harrison’s Rocks, south of Groombridge in East Sussex. This inspired climbing in much more challenging locations. In the summer of 1961, John was typically incommunicado somewhere in the French Alps when his A-level results arrived at the family home. His dad stepped in and, in John’s absence, managed to confirm his place to study medicine at Leeds University.
John loved the Yorkshire dales and he devoted his weekends to climbing and cross-country running. At university John met Sharon Morris, also a medical student; they graduated and married in 1967. After various hospital jobs, they settled in Harbury in Warwickshire, where John was to have a long career as a village doctor. At that time, general practitioners were responsible for their patients 24 hours a day. John viewed it as a privilege to be welcomed into people’s homes. And, in turn, he was renowned in the village for his great kindness.
His greatest gift to village life was his leadership of the Harbury Venture Scout troop, thus giving Harbury’s teenagers (including his own children, Stephen and Jane) the same taste of adventure he had gained as a boy.
John retired in 2004. To him, every day was an opportunity to learn more about the world around him, often through travelling and also membership of the local U3A. No weekday was complete without the Guardian. It was with great sadness that we watched John’s failing health. He was an extraordinary man who touched the lives of many.
He is survived by Sharon, their children, Stephen and Jane, his grandchildren, Tom, Megan, Millie, Harry, Bryony and Edith, and great-grandchildren, Sadie, Delilah and Sylvie.
