Gwyneth Young ( née Walls) 18 Jan 1946 - 16 Feb 2019

It is with great sadness that we record the recent death of Gwyneth Young (née Walls) who was a pupil at FHS Regent’s Park from 1956 to 1964 then later Chairman of Quondam from 1985 to 1994, and a governor of the school from 1984 - 2010. 

Gwyneth was the youngest of two children of Professor Eldred Walls and Dr Vivien Walls; they explained that Gwyneth was sent to FHS explicitly because they wanted the best and a school that would educate her broadly as well as fully. They knew exactly what was meant by “the polished corners”. When it became time to choose a career Gwyneth decided that like her parents she would train in medicine. The provision of science subjects at Sixth Form level at FHS was, in those days, scant but the requisite A levels were passed and Gwyneth went on to be a student at St. Thomas’s Hospital Medical school. At that time less than 10% of students were female, a stance justified by there not being sufficient female toilets in the building to allow more!

Whilst still a student Gwyneth married Tony Young a fellow student. On qualification she trained as a paediatrician and became a much loved and admired children’s doctor in hospitals in SE London, culminating in The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich. Gwyneth was famous for her red hair, Tony her husband was also a red-head so inevitably they had two boys who were red heads, the third who was adopted was not. Of her three boys one became a surgeon like his father. There are eight grandchildren. Sadly in 2011 she began to develop the signs of dementia but still led a full life spending half of each year in her second home in France. By 2017 she had become totally dependant and was admitted to a Care Home just before Christmas 2018 a few months after celebrating her Golden Wedding Anniversary. She died peacefully on February 16th 2019 with her three sons at the bedside. She was just 73. A memorial service will be held in May.

Written by the husband of Gwyneth, Anthony Young.