Tribute: James Ewart

It was with much sadness that I learnt of the passing of James (Jim) Ewart in January 2018. Born in Edinburgh in 1926, he studied pharmacy there and spent the first part of his career working for the Co-op in Glasgow. He moved to South Norfolk in the late 1950s to manage the Loddon Pharmacy for Rees Coghlan, and spent the rest of his career as superintendent of his Loddon and Norwich pharmacies. He was much liked and respected by his patients and staff for his sound advice and consistent approach, and likewise by his community pharmacist and GP medical colleagues.

A long-serving member of Norwich LPC, he was largely responsible for setting up the needle-exchange system in Norwich, also playing a major role in hosting the conference in Norwich in 1975. I only got to know him at the latter part of his career from 1978, when I was fortunate to work under his guidance. He was a great family man and very proud of his five daughters and their families. Jim and his much-loved wife Irene were very kind to me as I lodged with them as a young, newly qualified rookie for a few weeks when I first moved to Norwich, and thereafter were always supportive to my wife, Lesley, and myself. A keen fisherman, Jim was a longstanding committee member of the Norfolk Fly Fishers Club. A proud Scot, he loved his rugby and his family holidays in the Highlands. I last popped in to see Jim at his house around his 90th birthday and his mind was sharp and the wit still quick as we talked for more than an hour over a wee dram. My thoughts, and I’m sure those of colleagues who knew him, are with his family at this time. Rest in peace, Jim.