Ronald Parfitt 1913 - 2011

Ron Parfitt, has died at the age of 98. He started fencing at Guy's hospital, London, in 1931 whilst studying dentistry and then medicine. In those days you underwent at least a year of tuition before you were allowed to meet an opponent. This obviously stood him in good stead, as he went on to be taught by Leon Paul. Passable at foil and sabre, his forté was the epee. British epee champion in 1948 and 1950 and twice runner-up, he represented Great Britain in the 1948 London Olympics, where he came 10th, and in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

Virtually all fencers will have benefited from Ron's hobby — electronics. Always a scientist and investigator, he was in his element in the early days of the electrification of the sport. He made the first electric epee apparatus for Leon Paul after the war using old ammunition boxes for the cases. The foil apparatus he designed was adopted by the FIE for competitions in 1956 and was produced commercially by Leon Paul for many years. He had an amazing workshop (he made pretty good use of the kitchen too!) and always had a job list on the back of an old envelope and a project or two on the go — his long retirement was far from idle.

During WWII, Ron served in the Royal Army Medical Corps in both Europe and North Africa. He then went on to practice as a doctor, becoming a Consultant Radiotherapist at Lambeth and St Thomas's hospitals.  However, fencing was a hugely important part of his life. Even after retiring from competitive fencing, he took a keen lifelong interest in all the technical aspects of the sport from the timing of hits to the safety of blades and materials, and updating the apparatus.

Although a quiet retiring man, he thoroughly enjoyed the fencing camaraderie and in his later years he very much looked forward to The Epee Club annual dinner. He didn't make it to the last few, but in his 98th year, he was the oldest living member.

Ron was predeceased by his wife, Margaret, in 2008 after 59 years of marriage, and leaves two daughters,

Caroline and Susan, and five grandchildren - three English and two French.

Susan Gromet