A chance conversation between two Old Haileyburians has uncovered the remarkable story of a man whose work quietly shaped British public health.

When OH Charles Scott (Tr 57) recently discovered that his neighbour and friend, Dr John Pether (K 47), had also attended Haileybury, he realised that John’s extraordinary career deserved to be shared with the wider OH community.

John arrived at Haileybury in March 1947 before going on to study at Pembroke College, Oxford, later qualifying in medicine and building a distinguished career in microbiology and public health. Although modest about his achievements, John would go on to identify the first human case of hantavirus in England in 1990 and the first recorded case of Lyme disease in the UK.

Now aged 91, John was recently featured in the Somerset County Gazette, reflecting on a career spent at the forefront of infectious disease research and investigation.

In the article, John recalled receiving a call from a farmer near Chard who had developed a mysterious rash after working in a shed overrun with rats. His investigations eventually led to the identification of hantavirus in England for the first time.

Following extensive testing and research, including trapping hundreds of rodents and carrying out antibody studies across Somerset, John and his colleagues were able to trace the spread of the disease and better understand the risks posed to humans.

The newspaper article also highlighted John’s role in identifying the first case of Lyme disease in England after being contacted by a GP in Chard regarding a patient with unusual circular rashes.

John’s work formed part of a wider career dedicated to public health. His wife, Sonia, explained that he also worked within the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS), the network established during the Second World War to investigate and monitor infectious disease and potential chemical warfare threats. Based largely out of Colindale in London, the PHLS played a vital role in protecting public health for decades, with John regularly travelling between Somerset and the specialist microbiology centre.

John’s achievements stand as a reminder of the extraordinary contribution made by many OHs working quietly behind the scenes in medicine, science and public service. His career reflects a lifelong commitment to research, public health and helping others, often without recognition beyond the communities he served.

The story itself came to light thanks to the enduring connections within the OH network. What began as a conversation between neighbours in rural Somerset became the discovery of a shared Haileybury connection and a reminder that remarkable OH stories can often be found quietly woven into everyday life.

Everyone at the Haileybury Society sends John and his family our very best wishes and thanks him for his outstanding contribution to medicine and public health over so many decades.