My mother, Rosalind Hinton, who has died aged 94, was a force of nature – a woman of intellect, strength, humour and mischief. Although she often seemed formidable, those who knew her recognised her compassion. She was generally known as “Ra”, a name she cherished after her brother Anthony’s childhood mispronunciation. She had many identities, and each reflected a different role that she embraced with zeal.
Born in London to Lucy Hamson, a physician, and Charles Elliott, a lawyer, Rosalind lived through dramatic social and political changes, from the blitz to broadband, rationing to IVF. Her early life was marked by a sense of responsibility, especially towards her two younger brothers.
A boarding school education at Downe House, in Berkshire, combined with wartime hardships, including being evacuated to live with her godmother in Abergavenney, Monmouthshire, strengthened her resilience. Her sense of adventure and determination was clear even in childhood. In her later career, it came to shape the way she approached family life and medicine.
Graduating from the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, in 1955, she was first a locum GP in Lincolnshire, then a GP in Plymouth, trained as a family planning doctor, and practised in infertility for three decades in Bristol. Her 1976 referral of a patient, Lesley Brown, to Patrick Steptoe’s clinic at Bourn Hall, near Cambridge, resulted in the birth of Louise Brown, the world’s first IVF baby. This act, though a small part of her long career, highlighted her ability to shape things to come quietly and humbly.
She met Josh Hinton, a naval liaison officer at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, in 1955; they married the following year. Josh left the navy in the late 1950s and went to Wells Theological College, and became a curate in Exmouth, Devon, and later the vicar of Pucklechurch in Gloucestershire.
Their home was always lively – filled with children, animals and frequent visitors. Despite the challenges of raising three children while supporting her husband, Rosalind made lasting contributions to reproductive medicine, hypnotherapy and medical education and taught students, and postgraduates at Bristol University.
Always interested in others, she maintained her ability to connect, listen and share wisdom into her final weeks. Though she never saw herself as inspirational, those who knew her can testify to the profound impact she had. She was a woman who touched countless lives.
Josh died in 2002. Rosalind is survived by their children, Jay, John and me, six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and her brother, Timothy.
