In the course of his life, George Kersley played a prominent part in the emergence of rheumatology and rehabilitation as specialities in their own right and became an internationally recognised figure
Born in Bath, Kersley qualified in 1931 and subsequently won a prize for his Cambridge MD thesis. He returned to Bath in 1934 and was appointed as consulting physician to both the RUH and the Mineral Water Hospital. He led an active life professionally and socially, acquired an elegant house in the Circus and wrote a textbook on the rheumatic diseases as well as many research papers on rheumatological topics including one of the earliest descriptions of polymyalgia rheumatica
As a Territorial Army officer during the war, he set up the army’s first school of occupational therapy at Taunton and helped establish physiotherapy and rehabilitation services elsewhere
After the war, Kersley was a tireless and tenacious campaigner to save the Mineral Water Hospital (RNHRD) from closure and establish it as an international centre for rheumatology research and teaching. He also held appointments in rheumatology in Bristol and was a clinical lecturer at the Bristol Royal Infirmary
On retirement in 1975 Kersley became involved in local politics, was elected a city councillor and was Mayor in 1979. He continued to work for his city and his hospital virtually to the end of his life
(From "Diseased Douched and Doctored - Thermal Springs , Spa Doctors and Rheumatic Diseases" by Roger Rolls - reproduced by permission)