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1992 Leeds

The 1992 Punch Club meeting was hosted by Philip Smith in Leeds from 23 to 25 September.


Members were accommodated at the Leeds/Bradford Forte Crest Hotel in Bramhope, from where they were transported, on the evening of 23 September, for wine & supper with Philip & Anne, chez Clark at The Grove, Thorner, where the term "Buffet Service" was widely held to be an understatement.


The first scientific session took place in the Littlewood Hall of Leeds General Infirmary. Presentations given during this session are shown in the table below:

THURSDAY 24 SEPTEMBER
Pat Harnden Markers in bladder cancer
Karol Rogawski Prognostic factors in prostatic carcinoma
David Thomas Urothelial tissue culture for bladder reconstruction
Philip Smith The Emperor's new clothes
John Cumming Animal models for detrusor physiology
Dick Fowler Hyperparathyroidism: the needle not the knife (including a short video)

Members visited Centaur Clothes Group, a clothes manufaturing business in Goole, and saw for themselves the intensity with which the employees (almost exclusively women) worked at their sewing machines to turn out everyday clothing. John Vinnicombe was moved to suggest that "if this type of diligence could be transferred to the Health Service, waiting lists would be a thing of the past"! Sadly, the company ceased trading shortly after the Club visit ...

The Leeds Club 001

Click the image for copyright attribution & image credit

The black-tie Club dinner was held in the newly-redecorated Leeds Club. The club is a Grade II listed Victorian building on Albion Place in the city centre. 

Constructed in 1820 as residences for the son and grandson of William Hey, a distinguished surgeon, the building was given a new façade and converted into the Leeds Club in 1949, a place where the city's leaders could meet.


The second scientific session, also held at Leeds General Infirmary, consisted of the following presentations:

THURSDAY 24 SEPTEMBER
Adrian Joyce Laparoscopic techniques in urology (with live video from the operating theatre)
Andrew Doble On the surface - it may be promising
JP MacDermott The patient's perspective of self-catheterisation
Patrick Meffan Testicular self-examination - is it of value?
** Click the image for copyright attribution & image credit

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