Stanley Devenish Meares
Encyclopedia
Stanley [Stan] Devenish Meares (14 July 1906 - 16 August 1994) was an Australia
n obstetrician and gynaecologist.
, the son of C E Devenish Meares from his first marriage. His half brother was The Honourable
Leycester Meares
AC
CMG
QC
a judge
of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
. Devenish Meares attended Newington College
(1919-1924) and went up to the University of Sydney
in 1925 from whence he graduated as a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
with first-class honours in 1932.
and Royal North Shore Hospital
before going to the United Kingdom
to gain gynaecological experience at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester
. On his return to Australia he was appointed as an Honorary at the Crown Street Women's Hospital, Sydney
. In 1946, after active service, he was appointed as an Honorary at Sydney Hospital
. From that time he was a clinical lecturer at the University of Sydney
and in 1954 was appointed Consultant Gynaecologist to The Cancer Council New South Wales. In 1967 the Vth World Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology was held in Sydney
and Devenish Meares was President of the meeting. In the same year he was elected President of the Australian Council of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
and held that position until 1970.
, Devenish Meares attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
serving as Commanding Officer
of the 7th Field Ambulance and was Mentioned in Dispatches
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n obstetrician and gynaecologist.
Early life
Devenish Meares was born at Summer Hill, New South WalesSummer Hill, New South Wales
Summer Hill is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Summer Hill is located 8 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield....
, the son of C E Devenish Meares from his first marriage. His half brother was The Honourable
The Honourable
The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
Leycester Meares
Leycester Meares
The Honourable [Charles] Leycester Devenish Meares AC CMG QC was an Australian judge, patron of the arts and chairman and benefactor of the national child safety organisation Kidsafe. -Early life:...
AC
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
. Devenish Meares attended Newington College
Newington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
(1919-1924) and went up to the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
in 1925 from whence he graduated as a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae , are the two first professional degrees awarded upon graduation from medical school in medicine and surgery by universities in various countries...
with first-class honours in 1932.
Medical career
Devenish Meares was on the staff of the Royal Prince Alfred HospitalRoyal Prince Alfred Hospital
The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is a major public teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Missenden Road in Camperdown...
and Royal North Shore Hospital
Royal North Shore Hospital
The Royal North Shore Hospital is a major public teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, located in St Leonards. It serves as a teaching hospital for Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney and has approximately 740 beds. It is the referral hospital for Northern Sydney and the Central...
before going to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to gain gynaecological experience at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester
St Mary's Hospital, Manchester
St Mary's Hospital is a hospital in Manchester, England. It is part of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It was founded in 1790. St Mary's provides a unique range of inter-related services specifically for women and children...
. On his return to Australia he was appointed as an Honorary at the Crown Street Women's Hospital, Sydney
Crown Street Women's Hospital, Sydney
Crown Street Women's Hospital was once the largest maternity hospital in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was located at 351 Crown Street , Surry Hills....
. In 1946, after active service, he was appointed as an Honorary at Sydney Hospital
Sydney Hospital
Sydney Hospital is a major hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Macquarie Street in the Sydney central business district. It is the oldest hospital in Australia, dating back to 1788, and has been at its current location since 1811. It first received the name Sydney Hospital in 1881.Currently...
. From that time he was a clinical lecturer at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
and in 1954 was appointed Consultant Gynaecologist to The Cancer Council New South Wales. In 1967 the Vth World Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology was held in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Devenish Meares was President of the meeting. In the same year he was elected President of the Australian Council of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is a professional association based in the UK. Its members, including people with and without medical degrees, work in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, that is, pregnancy, childbirth, and female sexual and reproductive health...
and held that position until 1970.
War service
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Devenish Meares attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
serving as Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the 7th Field Ambulance and was Mentioned in Dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
.
Honours
- Order of the British Empire - 1968 for service to medicine
Fellowships
- Royal College of Surgeons of EdinburghRoyal College of Surgeons of EdinburghThe Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is an organisation dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and advancement in surgical practice, through its interest in education, training and examinations, its liaison with external medical bodies and representation of the modern surgical workforce...
- Royal College of Obstetricians and GynaecologistsRoyal College of Obstetricians and GynaecologistsThe Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is a professional association based in the UK. Its members, including people with and without medical degrees, work in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, that is, pregnancy, childbirth, and female sexual and reproductive health...
- Royal Australasian College of SurgeonsRoyal Australasian College of SurgeonsThe Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is the body responsible for training and examining surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. The head office of the College is in Melbourne, Australia....
- On the formation of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and GynaecologistsRoyal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and GynaecologistsThe Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is the body responsible for training and examining obstetricians and gynaecologists in New Zealand and Australia...
in 1983 he was made a Foundation Fellow.