Kenneth Newton
Encyclopedia
Dr Kenneth Newton was an English doctor who treated British and foreign royalty as well as many celebrities, after retirement he wrote the acclaimed novel The Two Pound Tram
(under the name William Newton) which won the 2005 Society of Authors
Sagittarius Prize
(for first novelists over the age of 60).
, West London the son of racing driver Frank Newton (who won the Montagu Cup in 1908 at Brooklands
). He and his brother Peter were educated at Charterhouse School
, Peter went on to be a pioneer of California's Napa Valley wine industry
. Kenneth went on to study medicine at King's College Hospital
in London and then at Westminster Hospital Medical School
before volunteering to serve as a medical officer in North Africa and Cyprus
with the Grenadier Guards
.
in Knightsbridge
which he expanded to offer consultation, radiology, pathology and a dispensary; among his patients was Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
.
In 1986 he moved to 79 Harley Street
where his patients included Audrey Hepburn
, Deborah Kerr
and Dame Margot Fonteyn and members of the Bahrain Royal family until his formal retirement in 1998, although he continued treating patients on a part-time basis until 2003. He retired to Fawley
Manor in Berkshire
which he bought in 1983 and completely renovated.
. He gave the manuscript to his nephew Nigel Newton
- founder of Bloomsbury Publishing who, not wanting to get involved, passed it to on to his editorial staff. It was published in 2003 to great acclaim.
His second novel The Mistress of Abha was published posthumously in 2011.
The Two Pound Tram
The Two Pound Tram is a novel written by Wiliam Newton . It was first published in 2003 to great acclaim and won the 2004 Society of Authors Sagittarius Prize...
(under the name William Newton) which won the 2005 Society of Authors
Society of Authors
The Society of Authors is a trade union for professional writers that was founded in 1884 to protect the rights of writers and fight to retain those rights .It has counted amongst its members and presidents numerous notable writers and poets including Tennyson The Society of Authors (UK) is a...
Sagittarius Prize
Sagittarius Prize
The Sagittarius Prize was a literary award given between 1991 to 2005 by the Society of Authors for a first novel by an author over the age of sixty...
(for first novelists over the age of 60).
Early Life
He was born in EalingEaling
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, West London the son of racing driver Frank Newton (who won the Montagu Cup in 1908 at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
). He and his brother Peter were educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
, Peter went on to be a pioneer of California's Napa Valley wine industry
Napa Valley AVA
Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Napa County, California, United States. Napa Valley is considered one of the top wine regions in the United States...
. Kenneth went on to study medicine at King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital is an acute care facility in the London Borough of Lambeth, referred to locally and by staff simply as "King's" or abbreviated internally to "KCH"...
in London and then at Westminster Hospital Medical School
Westminster Hospital Medical School
The Westminster Hospital Medical School was formally founded in 1834 by George Guthrie, an ex-military surgeon - although students had been taken on at Westminster Hospital almost from the hospital's foundation in 1719 .The hospital and medical school moved to larger buildings several times in the...
before volunteering to serve as a medical officer in North Africa and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
with the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
.
Medical Practice
After working with Sir Francis Leslie, in 1960 he set up his own practice at 60 Cadogan SquareCadogan Square
Cadogan Square is a square in Knightsbridge named after Earl Cadogan .It is one of the most desirable residential addresses in London. It is formed of a garden surrounded by red-brick houses, the majority of which have now been converted into apartments. Cadogan Square is south of Pont Street, east...
in Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
which he expanded to offer consultation, radiology, pathology and a dispensary; among his patients was Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, the wife and then widow of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of George V and Queen Mary.The daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch & Queensberry, Scotland’s largest landowner, her brothers Walter and...
.
In 1986 he moved to 79 Harley Street
Harley Street
Harley Street is a street in the City of Westminster in London, England which has been noted since the 19th century for its large number of private specialists in medicine and surgery.- Overview :...
where his patients included Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn was a British actress and humanitarian. Although modest about her acting ability, Hepburn remains one of the world's most famous actresses of all time, remembered as a film and fashion icon of the twentieth century...
, Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr, CBE was a Scottish film and television actress from Glasgow. She won the Sarah Siddons Award for her Chicago performance as Laura Reynolds in Tea and Sympathy, a role which she originated on Broadway, a Golden Globe Award for the motion picture The King and I, and was a three-time...
and Dame Margot Fonteyn and members of the Bahrain Royal family until his formal retirement in 1998, although he continued treating patients on a part-time basis until 2003. He retired to Fawley
Fawley
Fawley is a place name that is used more than once in the United Kingdom. In each case, the origins of the name are different:* Fawley, Berkshire * South Fawley, sometimes called Little Fawley...
Manor in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
which he bought in 1983 and completely renovated.
Writing
In 2003 he wrote his prize-winning first novel The Two Pound TramThe Two Pound Tram
The Two Pound Tram is a novel written by Wiliam Newton . It was first published in 2003 to great acclaim and won the 2004 Society of Authors Sagittarius Prize...
. He gave the manuscript to his nephew Nigel Newton
Nigel Newton
Nigel Newton is the founder and Chief Executive of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, one of the largest publishing companies in the United Kingdom. Newton was joined by David Reynolds, Liz Calder and Alan Wherry, in his new venture, which was launched at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 1986.Bloomsbury was...
- founder of Bloomsbury Publishing who, not wanting to get involved, passed it to on to his editorial staff. It was published in 2003 to great acclaim.
His second novel The Mistress of Abha was published posthumously in 2011.
Death
He died at home on March 6 2010 and is survived by his son and daughter and second wife, Mary whom he married in 1985.Source
- Obituary from The TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
22nd April 2010