Porritt, Arthur Espie Porritt

▪ 1995

      BARON, New Zealand-born physician and statesman (b. Aug. 10, 1900, Wanganui, N.Z.—d. Jan. 1, 1994, London, England), after a long career with the British monarchy as surgeon to King George VI (1946-52) and sergeant surgeon to Queen Elizabeth II (1952-67), served as the first native-born governor-general of New Zealand (1967-72). Porritt studied at Otago University, and in 1923 he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford. He completed his medical training in London at St. Mary's Hospital, where he remained on the surgical staff until 1965. After serving at the front in the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War II, he remained an RAMC consultant until 1967. He was also president of the Royal College of Surgeons (1960-63), the British Medical Association (1960-61), and the Royal Society of Medicine (1966-67). Despite his innumerable international honours, in New Zealand Porritt was perhaps better known as a former Olympic athlete. A champion runner both in New Zealand and at Oxford, he led his native country's national Olympic team as captain in 1924 and 1928 and as manager in 1936. In 1924 Porritt took the bronze medal in the 100-m race behind the great Harold Abrahams and American Jackson Scholz. He was a longtime member of the International Olympic Committee (1934-67) and chairman of the Commonwealth Games (1945-66). Porritt was created a baronet in 1963 and awarded a life peerage in 1973.

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