Obituary for Dr E N O'Brien
Noel died at the Royal Berkshire Hospital on the 8th October 2005 aged 80.
He joined Kensington Rowing Club in the mid 1960s and for many years was on the Committee or an Hon Steward doing the job he enjoyed, but then he was happy either side of the bar. Noel was in every sense of the word one of life’s gentlemen who never had a bad word to say about anyone.
He was born at Ballerat, near Melbourne, Australia. He learnt to row at the Scotch College where he rowed in their Head of the River Race. He went to Melbourne University for a BA and Melbourne Hospital for his medical studies. His studies were interrupted by WW2 when he served in the Royal Australian Navy in the Pacific, especially in corvettes.
He came to England in 1960 to join the team at Brompton Hospital specialising in the development of heart transplants and was subsequently a Consultant Physician at the North Middlesex Hospital specialising in heart and lungs.
Noel was very active at the Amateur Rowing Association and at various times he was Divisional Representative for Division 18, Hon Medical Officer, Water Safety Officer and on the Executive Committee. He was the Chief Medical Officer for the Commonwealth and Olympic Games from the mid 1970's to 1988, Medical Officer for FISA and numerous local and international regattas. He was also Chairman of the Olympic and ARA medical committees, Chairman of the Leisure and Recreation Committee for the London Borough of Hammersmith Council.
He retired in 1990 and moved to Wargrave where with time to spare and space he and Liz could indulge their passion for keeping pet animals. At one time they had 5 dogs 3 cats and 2 rabbits!
Awarded Queen's Jubilee Medal 1975, the ARA Medal for Services to Rowing, numerous Olympic and Commonwealth medals and many others.