John Charnley was born in Bury, Lancashire on 29th August 1911. Educated at Bury Grammar School he entered Medical School at the Victoria University of Manchester in 1929, graduating in 1935. A year later he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons - at an unusually young age.

The war years 1940 - 1946 saw Charnley a volunteer in the army, being promoted to the rank of Major.

After the war he returned to Manchester and worked with Sir Harry Platt. On his appointment as a Consultant he was also appointed Visiting Surgeon to Wrightington Hospital.

In 1957 Charnley married Jill Heaver - Lady Jill Charnley. They have two children, Tristram born in 1959 and Henrietta in 1960.

Charnley was honoured for his contributions to the alleviation of human suffering. The Freedom of the Borough of Bury, Fellow of the Royal Society and Knight Bachelor are just some of many.

Charnley never really retired but continued both clinical practice and research. He died on 5th August 1982.

Lady Charnley secured the completion of Charnley’s research by establishing the John Charnley Trust.

The living memorial – Freedom from pain and the successful results for millions of patients.

Further information on Professor Sir John Charnley can be found in

In Memoriam John Charnley
Brit Editorial JBJS 1983

Man and the Hip
Biography written by William Waugh London Springer 1990.

John Charnley
Nisbet and Woodruff 1984 Biographical Memoirs of the Royal Society 30:119-137

Rheumatology
2002; 41 824-825