Death of family GP who turned down movie stardom

A still of Dr Bill Hamilton-Deane from his screen test for Blue Lagoon in the 1940s. He pulled out of the casting process to join his father in practice in Gorleston. (Image: Archant)

A charismatic and handsome figure once described as a 'Greek god' by the Daily Express he excelled in a range of spheres and won friends and admirers wherever he went.

In an era that pre-dated target-chasing and red tape he offered a virtually unbroken out-of-hours service to all the patients on his list.

And as a named GP working in partnership with his father in Gorleston for many years he knew all about his patients, their conditions and their families, regarding many as friends.

Tending to their needs often involved dealing with non-medical matters like helping them to find a job and he would visit patients in hospital as a concerned chum rather than their GP.

The door to his consulting rooms in Middleton Road, which was also the family home, was always open day and night, his surgeries going on for hours.

Dr Hamilton-Deane was born in Gorleston to a GP father, the middle child of three.

All the children, like their parents, were accomplished swimmers with Dr Deane achieving the most success, despite health problems as a young child.

The sibling trio even performed at the opening of the Gorleston lido in the 1940s, such was their local renown.

A championship swimmer, he won a raft of cups, held many records in Britain and Ireland, and jointly qualified for the wartime Olympic Games, which never went ahead.

Noted as much for his good looks as his performance in the water, he came to the attention of movie moguls through newspaper articles and was screen tested for the film Blue Lagoon which went on to star Jean Simmons and Donald Houston and was compared to actor Johnny Weissmuller.

However, under pressure from his father he had to pull out of the casting process, to join him in practice in Gorleston high street.

Athletic and brilliantly academic, by this time he had gained a degree in medicine from Cambridge University and gone on to do his house training in London.

On returning to the town in 1958 with a wife, Ruth, he joined his father in general practice building up a long list of 3,000.

The couple went on to have four children Michael, twins Gilda and Michelle, and Christopher.

His career as a GP was marked out by his caring nature which saw him go above and beyond what could reasonably be expected to an extent that was remarkable even in his day.

In almost 40 years he never had a holiday and was available for his patients all the time, even during the rare times he was off duty.

The downside of his diligence was that no-one ever had a five minute appointment and although patients were invariably made to wait no-one ever complained because they knew they would get the same service.

His son Christopher Deane said his father was 'unconventional' as a doctor but also 'intuitive' sometimes diagnosing a problem even before the patient was complaining or concerned - his gut feeling almost always confirmed by tests.

'Everybody loved him. Anybody who met him just warmed to him. He was very approachable and it did not matter where a person came from or what their background was he would be equally at home with them and welcoming,' he said.

Dr Hamilton-Deane reluctantly retired in 1995 at the age of 70 but would have gone on into his 80s if legislation had allowed.

However, he remained in contact with many patients and was happy to offer his opinion on medical matters in the street or supermarket.

Very family-orientated, he enjoyed the company of his teenage granddaughter Sharon accompanying her to gigs and going on nights out with her friends. He also took an interest in horse and dog racing, keeping greyhounds as pets after they retired.

Swimming remained a constant passion. He also took an interest in cinema and music as well as local life, becoming a regular contributor to the Mercury's letters page.

Having enjoyed good health for most of his life, he spent two of his last three years in hospital but had enjoyed a good spell at home before his death in hospital.

He leaves his long-term companion and friend Hildegard, three of his children, and two grandchildren Sharon and Jamie.

The funeral will take place at St Andrews Church, Gorleston on November 4 at 11.30am followed by a private family burial at Gorleston Crematorium.

No flowers but donations to the Papworth Hospital Trust or the Palliative Care Unit at the Louise Hamilton Centre via Jary's in Gorleston High Street.

The family have extended special thanks to the staff on ward 1 at the James Paget Hospital for their kind care in making him so comfortable.