William John Hughes Butterfield, Baron Butterfield, (28 March 1920 – 22 July 2000) was a leading

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medical researcher, clinician and administrator.

Early life and education

Butterfield was educated at

Solihull School Solihull School is a coeducational Independent school (UK), independent day school in Solihull, West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Founded in 1560, it is the oldest school in the town and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmi ...

, an historic independent school in the West Midlands. Whilst at Solihull he was Head Boy, Head of CCF and captain of rugby, cricket, hockey and athletics. He continued his sporting passions while studying at

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, becoming a triple

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. He then benefited from a two-year

Rockefeller Foundation The Rockefeller Foundation is an American private foundation and philanthropic medical research and arts funding organization based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The second-oldest major philanthropic institution in America, after the Carneg ...

Scholar grant to study at

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...

, where he gained a further medical degree.

Career

After his degree, national military service awaited him. He spent it as an officer in the Army Physiological Unit and Deputy Director for Scientific Research. He subsequently returned to the United States, to a fellowship at the

Medical College of Virginia The VCU Medical Center is Virginia Commonwealth University's medical campus located in downtown Richmond, Virginia, in the Court End neighborhood. VCU Medical Center used to be known as the Medical College of Virginia (MCV), which merged with the ...

at Richmond. Over the years he was appointed to many commissions in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Among his professional research interests was

diabetes mellitus Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

. His appointments included one as Professor of Experimental Medicine at

Guy's Hospital Guy's Hospital is an NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in central London. It is part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and one of the institutions that comprise the King's Health Partners, an academic health science centre. ...

. In 1970 he was invited to accept the position of

Vice-Chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth and former Commonwealth n ...

of the

University of Nottingham The University of Nottingham is a public university, public research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as University College Nottingham in 1881, and was granted a royal charter in 1948. The University of Nottingham belongs t ...

. In 1976 he was appointed Regius Professor of Physic at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

where he led the re-establishment of the

School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge The School of Clinical Medicine is the medical school of the University of Cambridge in England. According to the QS World University Rankings 2020, it ranks as the 3rd best medical school in the world. The school is located alongside Addenbroo ...

. In 1978 on the death of Sir

Morien Morgan Sir Morien Bedford Morgan Order of the Bath, CB Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (20 December 1912 – 4 April 1978), was a noted Welsh aeronautical engineer, sometimes known as "the Father of Concorde". He spent most of his career at the Royal ...

he was elected Master of

Downing College, Cambridge Downing College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge and currently has around 650 students. Founded in 1800, it was the only college to be added to Cambridge University between 1596 and 1869, and is often described as the olde ...

, where he was a popular figure. Even after retirement from the post, his links with his adopted College persisted and he did what he could to further its interests. The College bar at Downing is named after him. The Mastership of Downing led to a term also as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

Honours

Butterfield was appointed

Officer of the Order of the British Empire 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 o ...

(OBE) in 1953. In 1978, he was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

. He was made a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

in 1988 as Baron Butterfield, of

Stechford Stechford is an area of East Birmingham, England, situated about five miles east of the city centre, bordering Ward End, Yardley, Hodge Hill and Kitts Green. Historically it lay within Worcestershire. History Stechford's history is unclear. It ...

in the County of West Midlands.

Footnotes

References

*Payne, M.A., 'Presentation of Honorary Fellowship to Professor Sir John Butterfield', in ''Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine'' vol. 53, n. 10 (December 1987) 907-908 *
BUTTERFIELD, Baron
''Who Was Who'', A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Butterfield, John 1920 births 2000 deaths Conservative Party (UK) life peers Academics of King's College London Officers of the Order of the British Empire Vice-Chancellors of the University of Nottingham Fellows of Downing College, Cambridge Regius Professors of Physic (Cambridge) Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford Johns Hopkins University alumni Masters of Downing College, Cambridge Knights Bachelor Physicians of Guy's Hospital British expatriates in the United States