Sir George Douglas Robb (1899–1974) was a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

surgeon, medical reformer, writer, and university chancellor.

Career

He was born at Auckland on 29 April 1899 and educated at the

Auckland Grammar School Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

and at the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate ...

(MB ChB). Robb had a reputation as something of a maverick and a rebel against the conventional medical establishment, as is discussed in a chapter in Brian Easton's book ''The Nationbuilders''. Robb was influential in the formation of the Auckland Medical School as part of the

University of Auckland , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...

. From 1961 to 1962, he held the year-long position of President of the British Medical Association. A series of annual lectures at the University of Auckland has been named after Doug Robb. In the 1956 New Year Honours, Robb was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George. He was made a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are th ...

in the

1960 Queen's Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours 1960 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced in supplements to th ...

Personal life

Robb was a close friend of the New Zealand poet and writer A. R. D. Fairburn, whose "To a Friend in the Wilderness" was dedicated to Robb. On 6 November 1935, Robb married Helen Seabrook of Auckland. His autobiography, ''Medical Odyssey'' was published in 1967 by Collins Bros. & Co. Ltd., Auckland. Appendix 1 (4 pp.) contains a bibliography of Robb's surgical and medical articles and other writings. W. B. Sutch wrote of Robb: "Robb, unhappy with the politicians, became a foremost thoracic surgeon, and a leader in medical education and research."--''The Quest for Security in New Zealand, 1840–1966''; Oxford, 1966; p. 248. There is a bronze head (1956) and portrait (1961) of Sir Douglas Robb by John Francis Kavanagh in the University of Auckland Art Collection. Douglas Robb died in his sleep on the morning of his 74th birthday. His widow, Lady Robb, died in the 1979 Mount Erebus disaster.

References

External links

Entry in the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
* Brian Easton
The Nationbuilders
chapter 6 {{DEFAULTSORT:Robb, Douglas 1899 births 1974 deaths People educated at Auckland Grammar School Medical educators New Zealand thoracic surgeons University of Auckland faculty University of Otago alumni Presidents of the British Medical Association New Zealand Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George New Zealand Knights Bachelor Chancellors of the University of Auckland

Career

Personal life

References

Further reading

External links