AIDS: THE LOST VOICES
It was one thing to have your HIV/AIDS diagnosis and your private life dragged through the British press. It was another if you were a respected medical or healthcare professional with an HIV/AIDS diagnosis. In 1992 & 1993 Dr. Curran, Dr. Clayton & Dr. Shuttleworth were not only vilified for their private lives but had their professional reputation scrutinised by the press causing widespread panic among their patients and the public.
It is unforgivable the press through their reporting of these men didn’t show them the same level of care and compassion the Doctor’s showed their patients.
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CURRAN, Peter Vincent was born on 22nd May 1947 in Northamptonshire, one of four children to parents Peter Curran and Alice Kehoe. Peter was brother to John, Anne and Catherine Curran. Peter passed away the day after his 49th birthday on 23 May 1996 in London and was cremated in Kensington and Chelsea on 31 May 1996.
“He was educated at Downside School and won an open exhibition to Brasenose College, Oxford, before entering the Middlesex Hospital Medical School to undertake his clinical studies.
He qualified in 1971 and subsequently held junior appointments at the Middlesex and Central Middlesex Hospitals, and at Ipswich Hospital.
In 1974 he was appointed ophthalmic registrar at the Westminster Hospital, working with Patrick Trevor-Roper, and in 1978 he became senior registrar at Moorfield's Hospital, working with Sir Allen Goldsmith. He was subsequently appointed consultant ophthalmic surgeon to Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, where he worked for some years, his career being tragically interrupted when a journalist questioned his HIV status. Although he continued in practice thereafter, as an enthusiastic bibliophile he spent an increasing amount of time collecting books (preferably signed first editions) and browsing in the Athenaeum library. His other interests included opera, theatre and chess. He contributed to various journals, and was joint author of a major textbook of ophthalmology.
He never married, and died of a malignant lymphoma on 23 May 1996, aged 49 years.”
Fourteen months after being outed by the press Peter made or updated his will on 30th September 1993. Within it, Peter was very generous to both his close family and friends. Bequeathing £15,000 (£31,300 as of July 2024) each to his sisters, £1,000 (£2,080 as of July 2024) to his brother John noting he had benefited from their late father’s estate. And £30,000 (£62,549 as of July 2024) to his niece, Elizabeth. £10,000 (£20,850 as of July 2024) to his friend Ian and the same to friend and executor Jeremy. £5,000 to friend Shelley and £1,000 to friend Linda.
The two notable bequests were £30,000 (£62, 549 as of July 2024) to the College of Opthalmologists on the following conditions, “to buy a painting for not less than £25,000” and “the painting must be hung in the College headquarters” with strict conditions.
The remainder of his estate, forming a trust was bequeathed to Brasenose College in Oxford on the condition that “the funds shall be used as an endowment for such purposes as a scholarship, a professorship, a building or other facility to be used by students of Brasenose College during their studies at the College”. And that “an acknowledgment of the endowment shall be given in some permanent public form as a memorial to me, for example, a plaque”. The accounts of Brasenose College in 2020, under endowments has listed the “Curran Capital Fund”.
Probate was granted on 23rd October 1996 to the value of £375,684 (£783,295 as of July 2024 - Bank of England)
CLAYTON, Peter Edward was born 1964 in Anglesey, Wales and the youngest of three to parents Ronald Clayton and Annie Lyons. Peter was brother to Maureen and Ronald Clayton. Peter died at home on 17 October 1992. His wife, a nurse, went on to re-locate and re-marry.
Probate
SHUTTLEWORTH, Terence Prince, was born 1938 in Keighley, Yorkshire and the only child to parents Leslie Shuttleworth and Maggie Mulloy. Having trained as a doctor Terence, known to his friends as ‘Tim’, then moved to Berkshire, then London before settling in Rochester, Kent. Terence died in a London hospital on 5 April 1993 followed by a memorial service at Rochester Cathedral on 25 September 1993.
Probate
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