This timeline maps key events in Sir John’s life and career in relation to contemporary innovations in healthcare.
Born in Bury,
29 August
1911
1917
The first documented plastic surgery
1928
Antibiotics are discovered
Graduated from
Manchester Medical School
1935
Fellow of the
Royal College of Surgeons
1936
Royal Army Medical Corps: Involved in Dunkirk evacuation
1940
The first metal hip replacement surgery is performed
Consultant at Manchester Royal Infirmary and Wrightington
1948
National Health Service established
Closed Treatment of
Common Fractures published
1950
1954
The first successful living donor kidney transplant
First Teflon resurfacing
arthroplasty
First use of bone cement
in hip surgery
1958
Biomechanical workshop
opened at Wrightington
First clean air enclosure
1961
Centre for Hip Surgery opened
First use of polyethylene
hip sockets and
Low Friction Arthroplasty
1962
1967
The first heart transplant
surgery is performed
Awarded CBE
1970
Professor of
Orthopaedic Surgery,
University of Manchester
1972
Fellow of the Royal Society
1975
Knighted
1977
1978
First ‘test-tube’ baby is born using in vitro fertilisation (IVF)
Died 5 August
1982
