RETIRED GP Dr John Thompson has died, aged 84.

Dr John, a member of a family which has treated Atherton people for almost 80 years, died on Sunday in the Royal Bolton Hospital, 10 days after suffering serious injuries in a fall at home.

Born in 1916 in Rutherglen, Scotland, he was the eldest of Dr Cecil and Annie Thompson's four boys.

In 1922 the Thompsons moved south to Atherton where Buckley House in Bolton Road served as the family home and Dr Cecil's surgery.

As a boy Dr John went to Lee Street school, where he met his wife to be Edna Short, but had to leave Leigh Grammar School during the depression when his family moved back to Scotland.

He went to Paisley Grammar School where he fared well academically and at sport. Fired with a competitive spirit he loved to win and captained his school's cricket and rugby teams.

As the depression eased the Thompsons moved back to Atherton and Dr John studied medicine at Glasgow University.

In wartime he served as a Surgeon Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and while on Arctic Convoy duty on HMS Fury he was actually swept overboard by a wave and miraculously swept back on board by another! At D-Day he was on the tank ship Batcheqero and also served in Ceylon.

In 1946 he became a GP in Atherton and retired in 1980 but continued working part-time until 1987.

Associated with numerous organisations he was a pioneer member of the local NHS Council, President of the Royal Naval Sick Berth Association, Medical Officer of Health, chairman of the Leigh and Wigan branch of the British Medical Association, a member of Atherton and District White Ensign Association, a trustee at Atherton Discharged Sailors' and Soldier's Association, honorary member of Hag Fold Working Men's Club, on the steering committee of Leigh and Wigan Medical Institute, St John Ambulance divisional surgeon and had been clinical assistant at Atherleigh Hospital and worked closed with Army and Navy cadets.

He was joined in the practice by younger brother Cecil, now 78, in the 1950s.

The brothers' sons -- Alastair and John -- carried on the medical tradition and both doctors currently practise in Atherton at the Seven Brooks Medical Centre.

A great reader, the late Dr John had an extensive library. He was also an enthusiastic and experienced sailor, dinghy racer and yacht owner, sailing to the Western Isles, Scandinavia and The Mediterranean.

He and his childhood sweetheart Edna Short (who died four years ago) were married at Atherton Central Methodist Church in March 1, 1940.

They had three sons, Michael who is a retired accountant, current Atherton GP Alastair, and former teacher Roderick.

Dr John will be buried on the Isle of Arran on Tuesday but on Friday a memorial service was held locally at Howe Bridge Crematorium chapel.