Thank you to Peter Mohr and Patience Julia (known to all as Julie) Mohr, who retire from their volunteering duties at the Museum of Medicine and Health. Peter and Julie’s contributions to Social Responsibility have continued for over 20 years, most recently winning the special bicentenary category at the Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Celebration event 2024.  

They have contributed to the upkeep, research and access to Faculty heritage. Inspiring respect and friendship from colleagues, academics and students many times over, we thank them for their dedication. Peter and Julie’s contributions extend beyond the museum, in their efforts to bridge the gap between medicine and social issues through research and publication.  

Dr. Mohr’s Path to Academia  

Peter Dean Mohr (BSc MB ChB FRCP MSc PhD) was born in 1945 and grew up in Blackpool. He enrolled at Manchester Medical School in 1967, where he obtained an MB ChB. In 1972, Peter achieved his MRCP from RCP London, later attaining the status of FRCP in 1990.  

Dr Mohr loved his work as a neurologist and was very happy in his consultancy role at Hope Hospital for nearly three decades from 1977. Peter and Julie met when Julie was a student nurse and married in 1970. They and their family settled close to Peter’s work in Salford.  

In 1987, after giving a lecture at the Disabled Living Services, Dr Mohr’s interest in medical history was piqued when he learned that the charity had Victorian roots. He enrolled in the University’s Centre for History of Science, Technology, and Medicine (CHSTM). Despite the heavy demands of his job, Dr Mohr managed to complete his academic pursuits, which remains a mystery even to him.   

Following his MSc thesis in 1991, Dr. Mohr’s academic interests led him to research rickets and the history of the Duchess of York Hospital. His 1995 PhD thesis was titled “Women-run Hospitals in Britain: Dr. Catherine Chisholm, 1878-1952.”  

Through his academic journey, Dr Mohr met Professor John V. Pickstone (1944-2014) and historian Roger Cooter, who introduced him to the medical museum at the Stopford Building set up by Manchester Medical School’s Executive Dean, Dr F.B. Beswick (1925-2019) and run by Charlotte Beswick (1926-2013).  

Experience with the Museum 

After Peter retired from his consultancy role, he and Julie dedicated more time to the museum. They began a computer catalogue and moved the collection to the former Art in Medicine Department, providing a better space for storage and display. Their meticulous attention to detail and passion for making medical history accessible and engaging, has transformed the museum into a vibrant hub for education and community engagement.  

Steph Seville, the museum’s Heritage Officer, has worked closely with them for nearly a decade.  

“Peter’s enthusiasm for routing out stories, plus Julie’s amazing memory, has made for some fantastic revelations, anecdotes and knowledge. I am very lucky to have learnt a lot from them both.”  

Message to Museum Audiences 

Peter hopes that most medical students and doctors can increase their interest in medical history, emphasizing that history is important and that objects can help foster this interest.  

If Peter could say one thing to people, he would say, “Be a problem solver – not a problem maker.” 

Farewell and Gratitude 

The Faculty extends a heartfelt thanks for their unwavering commitment to preserving medical heritage and inspiring generations of students, scholars, and visitors. We wish them the best in their retirement and other interests, confident that their legacy will continue to foster an interest in medical history, cultivate problem solvers, and encourage a deeper understanding of healthcare’s intersection with society. 

Thank you to Jing Han, student of CHSTM who helped write this article, as part of her taught course placement.    

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