My grandfather, Stephen Gould, who has died aged 91, was a dentist specialising in orthodontics and a consultant (1963-87) at the Eastman Dental hospital in London. In 1986 he was appointed OBE for his services to dentistry.
In the 1970s, with Prof Ivor Kramer, he was involved in the struggle to maintain the independence of the Eastman and to take over the vacant Royal Free hospital buildings at Gray’s Inn Road. The campaign was successful, and secured the Eastman’s future at its current site (though the hospital unfortunately faces a similar struggle today). Stephen served as chairman of the hospital rebuilding committee from 1980 until 1984.
He was born in Southampton, son of Alice and Arthur Gould, a journalist and alderman. The family moved to Wolverhampton when Stephen was small and he was educated at a local grammar school. In 1941, he volunteered to join the army and served in India and Burma, joining Allied Land Forces South East Asia HQ from 1944. In 1948 he was discharged after contracting tuberculosis, which led to the loss of his left kidney.
He moved to Enfield, north London, and in 1949, after a period of convalescence, began studying dentistry at Guy’s hospital dental school. He had to take a year out to undergo partial removal of his remaining kidney, but nevertheless qualified in 1955. His ill health never held him back, and he far exceeded the life expectancy of 50 that doctors predicted.
In 1976-77, Stephen served as president of the British Society for the Study of Orthodontics – then the oldest and largest national society for his profession. He was also chairman of the Consultant Orthodontists Group (1982-87), and initiated preliminary discussions to unify these two and other professional societies. The first meeting of the unified British Orthodontic Society took place in 1994, and Stephen was its president in 1995-96. It is now a substantial organisation, consulted by the Department of Health.
Stephen was an enthusiastic skier until his 70s, when cardiac problems forced him to accept his physical limitations. He was a very funny, sociable but private man and the most supportive father and grandfather; a wonderful source of wisdom, humour and warmth.
Although he and my grandmother, Lynn Howe, whom he married in 1947, divorced in 1977, they always remained friends. He is survived by their daughter, Judy, and three grandchildren – Alex, Lauris and me.
