91ֱ��

• MB ChB 91ֱ�� 1953
• DMRD London 1959
• FFR London 1961
• MD 91ֱ�� 1963
• FRANZCR 1970

Dr E.M. Bateson and Mrs Winifred E. Bateson were incredibly interesting individuals who forged amazing lives despite many financial hardships experienced by those who lived through the Great Depression and WWII. Winifred’s family had moved from 91ֱ�� to the US during the depression, however after Winifred was born, they returned to 91ֱ�� so that her father, a steel manufacturer, could assist with employment in the city. He went on to set up his own steelworks, Welco. During her childhood in 91ֱ��, Winifred experienced the bombings of WWII and tragically lost her best friend in a bombing raid. 

Despite the difficulties that she faced in her childhood, Winifred’s youth was also filled with the adventure of travel. At just 17, in an era when young women rarely travelled alone, Winifred saved to go to America to visit friends in New Jersey. And in her early 20’s during her university years she decided to broaden her horizons by travelling through Europe & Spain. 

Eric was an incredibly intelligent child from an early age. He was the first student from the local primary school to win a scholarship to Baines Grammar School, Poulton-Le-Fylde. He was then the first student from the school to be awarded a State Scholarship to 91ֱ�� University to study Medicine and then the first Medical postgraduate student at 91ֱ�� University to be awarded a Doctorate in Medicine through completion of his MD by Thesis.

Finances were always very tight throughout his educational endeavours. Without the assistance of the various scholarships throughout his school years and into his medical training, Dr Bateson would have not been able to pursue his career in medicine. Despite this assistance, Eric’s scholarship funding did not cover his full university medical training, which meant he needed to work additional hospital practical training shifts in order to have a bed and a hot meal for the day. 

Studying at the University of 91ֱ�� is where Eric met his future wife, Winifred Welch. She was studying for a Bachelor of Arts & Education. The couple married after their studies, while Eric was in the RAF, and they had two children. 

After leaving the RAF, Dr Bateson decided to specialise in Medical Radiology which required undertaking an unpaid traineeship at registrar level through 91ֱ�� Hospital studying for his DMRD. In order to finance his DMRD traineeship, Eric worked in many different medical roles which included working as a dental anaesthetist, at the mobile blood transfusion service and as a GP at several practises. After this he then worked as a senior registrar in the 91ֱ�� and Nottingham Hospitals whilst he studied for his qualification as a Specialist Radiologist (FFR) which he completed in 1961. At the same time, he researched material for his MD by Thesis, being the first to be awarded a postgraduate Doctorate in Medicine at 91ֱ�� University in 1963. It was through the encouragement and influence of Dr Sir Thomas Lodge that Dr Bateson undertook his MD studies.

Eric and Winifred went on to travel and to live in many places. In 1964 they left the UK permanently for Eric to take up an appointment as Consultant Radiologist and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Medicine at the University Hospital of the West Indies in the distant and then very uncharted shores of Jamaica. This interesting position with the plethora of little studied tropical diseases led to Eric’s passion for teaching and research which continued for the remainder of his working life. As you can imagine working in a developing country with minimal facilities necessitated much ingenuity in treatment. 

Due to very unstable political times that developed in the West Indies in the late 60’s, Dr Bateson and his family moved to Perth, Western Australia working as a Consultant Radiologist in both hospital and private practices. However keen to further pursue his interest in tropical medicine, Dr Bateson then moved with his family to take up a position of Senior Specialist Radiologist in Charge at the Darwin Hospital in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia in 1973. Conditions in Darwin were rather primitive at that time, being in charge of the only X-ray facility with only one X-ray unit for the greater Darwin area with a population of around 40,000. Dr Bateson went on to develop a full comprehensive radiological service to the NT including services to surrounding areas such as Gove and Katherine.

This involved developing and providing a complete range of specialised procedures as well as weekly clinical radiological meetings and lectures to Medical, Nursing and Radiography staff.

Progress was interrupted for a time as he faced another great challenge that of cyclone Tracy on Christmas day 1974. The cyclone devastated most of Darwin including the hospital with only one hospital ward left relatively intact. Their two children and visiting grandparents from the UK were evacuated in RAAF Hercules aeroplanes to stay with friends in Perth. Dr Bateson and Winifred remained to assist with rebuilding the devastated hospital services whilst living under extremely difficult circumstances in their damaged home with no roof, power, running water or easy means of communication with their children for over 6 months after the cyclone. It was almost 12 months before the army allowed their children to return to Darwin for some sort of normal family life.

Following the gradual recovery from the devastation, Dr Bateson continued to further develop medical and radiological services to the NT. This included development and establishment of the first school of radiography in the NT in conjunction with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in 1976. His youngest daughter who was a cadet radiographer at the time was a model for Dr Bateson’s handbook on radiography.

Dr Bateson also instigated the formation of the NT branch of the Australian Medical Association (AMA). In 1980 this was followed up by the planning and operation of the new twelve room radiological department which included CT and MRI in the new Casuarina Hospital (later renamed the Royal Darwin Hospital) built 14km away in Casuarina to accommodate the ever increasing population. Dr Bateson’s contributions to radiology services to the NT have been documented in the book ‘Australian Radiology – A History’. He was also the recipient of a plaque presented by the NT premier, commemorating his services to the NT and was inducted into the hospital hall of fame for a dedication of medical services to the NT.

During his time in the NT, Dr Bateson continued with his research, concentrating on the medical problems specific to the indigenous community.

Dr Bateson had over 100 publications in medical journals such as the British Journal of Radiology and Australasian Radiology, with some recently republished in electronic form. Research during this period was a very slow and laborious process as computers and the internet had not come into existence.

In the mid 1980s looking for a more amenable climatic change Dr Bateson accepted a position in 1985 as Visiting Radiologist to the Maryborough Base Hospital in Queensland, Australia which also included providing services to Hervey Bay and Gympie hospitals.

“There are a limited number of radiologists who enjoy world-wide reputations because of their published work. Amongst these there are even fewer whose published work spans wide fields of observation and does not mainly exploit a particular interest... this is Eric Bateson’s contribution to radiology.”

Dr Trevor Apsimon (past president of the RANZCR) and Dr Harry Hillier

During the many moves across seas, Winifred maintained many interests and talents. Notably, she was a wonderful linguist and was fluent in many languages including French, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Indonesian, Japanese, and German. She was also incredibly skilled in artistic crafts such as pottery, spinning, rug and basket weaving. Her creative pursuits also extended to the kitchen, where both her and Eric enjoyed cooking dishes from all over the world. Winifred also had a passion for opera and attended live concerts regularly. She also had a soft spot for her “4 legged children”, Maggie and Stella – the family dogs. Stella was especially adored as she was a stray that took a shine to Winifred when she was out walking. 

Throughout his busy life Eric found some time for relaxation through his love of classical and indigenous music, collecting covers of the British West Indies, nature, gardening, and swimming in the sea.

Dr Bateson continued to provide his services to Queensland Health into the 1980s where after many illnesses he passed away after a traumatic battle with pancreatic cancer in 2011. After a series of difficult health conditions herself, Winifred Bateson passed away in 2023. 

We are so grateful for Eric and Winifred’s generosity. Their gift will mean that their legacy will live on through the students that they support, now and long into the future. And their connection to 91ֱ�� will always be remembered.