| Description | Douglas Wilkie retained a small collection of June Rosalind Wilkie's scientific papers, correspondence, personal material, including medical records. The two married in 1949, having met whilst they were both medical students. They divorced in 1982 but reunited again later in life.
June Wilkie was a scientist in her own right, educated in medicine, including anatomy and surgery; histology; physiology; and anaesthesia. Following the completion of her clinical studies she went on to train as an Anaesthetist with posts at the Royal Free Hospital, becoming a Registrar in Anaesthetics at UCH and obtaining a Diploma in Anaesthetics. The birth of Andrew, her and Douglas Wilkie's son, in 1959 led her to abandon a career in anaesthetics, turning to academic work, specifically teaching and research. Her research work focused on heat balance in newborn and premature infants, publishing numerous papers demonstrating the importance of helping them to maintain body temperature by keeping environmental temperature high. In 1970 she took up a position as a Medical Officer in the Medical Research Council head office. She retired prematurely in 1984 and died in 1996. |