A Service of Thanksgiving for the Life and Work of Lord Walton of Detchant Kt, TD, MA MD DSc FRCP will be held at St Margaret's Church, Westminster Abbey, on Thursday 3 November 2016 at 2.00 pm.

Lord Walton of Detchant, who died aged 93, was a leading neurologist and the only person to have been president of the British Medical Association, the Royal Society of Medicine and the General Medical Council during his career; he also served as Warden of Green College, Oxford, from 1983 to 1989.

John Walton originally planned to become a paediatrician but while completing his medical training in Newcastle he came under the influence of Professor Fred Nattrass and decided to specialise in neurology. During his first few years of medical research he endeavoured to identify all of the patients with neuromuscular disease in the North East of England and discovered that many who had been thought to be suffering from muscular dystrophy were in fact suffering from inflammatory disorders such as polymiositis or dermatomyositis with symptoms that could mimic those of muscular dystrophy.

This work led eventually to the compilation of a new classification of the muscular dystrophies based on clinical and genetic criteria, published by Walton and Nattrass in the journal Brain in 1954.

A lifelong supporter of Newcastle United, Walton enjoyed cricket, classical music and playing golf. He was enormously proud of his roots in the North East and became a Freeman of the City of Newcastle in 1980 along with Cardinal Hume and Jackie Milburn, his boyhood Newcastle United hero. As well as publications on diseases of the nervous system, he was editor-in-chief of the Journal of Neurological Sciences and joint editor of the Oxford Companion to Medicine. In 1993 he published his autobiography, The Spice of Life. He was later made Chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Group of Great Britain. Walton was created a life peer in 1989 and took his place on the cross-benches. An active member of the Lords, Lord Walton last spoke in the House four weeks before his death.

To apply for free tickets, click on REGISTER above. Having done so, on the right of the first screen, click on the number of tickets you would like (up to 4), then click on CHECKOUT - you will then be asked to leave your details and those of any guests attending with you on the next screen. A link to your tickets will be sent to the email address that you enter.

Doors will open at 1.15 pm and members of the congregation are requested to be seated by 1.45 pm.

FAQs

What are my transport/parking options getting to the event? Public transport is advised. The nearest underground stations are Westminster and St James' Park. For those with special needs, please e-mail special.events@westminster-abbey.org.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket(s) to the event? Yes, please bring tickets for each person attending.

What is the dress code? Lounge suit or day dress. Gentlemen do not have to wear a black tie.

What time do the doors open? 1.15 pm.

Can I bring a guest? Yes, you can bring up to three guests with you on a single order. Please just register your details and the details of any guests attending with you.

How long will the Service last? The Service will last an hour.