Widower of Liz, David died at home in Hurst Green, East Sussex on 9 July 2026. Much loved father to Simon, Paul and the late Andrew and loving Grandpa to Matthew, Louis, Samuel and Douglas.

The following obituary was written by Paul Farrow (PH 79-84)

David Farrow was born in Sourabaya, Java, then part of the Netherlands East Indies, on 29 November 1936. His father, an organic chemist, worked for a rubber company there. Following the Japanese invasion of Java in 1942, the family fled by ship, narrowly escaping the Battle of the Java Sea, in which most of the Allied fleet was sunk. They reached Fremantle, Australia and settled near Sydney, where David attended prep school.

David returned to England in 1946, attending St Peter’s preparatory school in Burgess Hill, where he was head of school and captain of cricket and soccer. He was subsequently sent to Tonbridge, joining Parkside as a Lent Term Novi in 1951. An accomplished sportsman, he represented the school in many sports including rugby (1st XV), hockey (1st XI), athletics (Individual Athletics Cup), boxing and cricket, captaining the 2nd XI as wicket keeper. He also played rugby for England Schoolboys and St. Mary’s Hospital.

Following Tonbridge, David studied medicine at St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington where, in 1956 he met his future wife Elizabeth "Liz" Notley, a student nurse.

Clinical training included postings in medicine, surgery, and obstetrics, including a period at Dublin's Rotunda Hospital. His first house job was in paediatrics at Paddington Green Children's Hospital, his second post was as house physician at the Royal Northern Hospital, followed by an obstetric post at the City of London Maternity Hospital.

After a chance introduction to a rural general practice in Hawkhurst, Kent, David undertook several locums there. In 1964 after one of the partners fell ill, David was invited to join the practice, where he went on to work as a family doctor for over three decades and most as senior partner. David was an excellent general practice doctor. He was well liked and highly respected by his patients for his diligence, honesty and earthy sense of humour. At Christmas, many an appreciative patient gave David a gift. Such was the level of appreciation that his consulting room looked more like an off-licence storeroom than a surgery!

David served on numerous British Medical Association (BMA) committees including the Kent Local Medical Committee (LMC) which he chaired 1981-85. The LMC is the statutory representative body that protects doctors, negotiates with health authorities, and guides primary care standards. David was appointed as the national Chairman of the General Medical Services Committee (GMSC) Rural Practitioners sub-committee from 1984 to 1990 and was thus the chief UK-wide advocate for countryside doctors. This national BMA appointment placed him at the heart of UK health policy. He was responsible for protecting the livelihoods of rural doctors and ensuring remote communities retained access to healthcare. 

David remained a keen sportsman, regularly playing squash & cricket, in which he was always highly competitive. He played cricket for several clubs including the Yellowhammers, the Bluemantles and Hawkhurst village. David also ran the MCC side for several years against the school in the annual fixture on the Head.

David will be lovingly missed by his sons Simon (PH 78-83) and Paul (PH 79-84)