DR Norman Lawrence, a former GP at East Oxford Health Centre, has died aged 88, after a short illness.

Dr Lawrence was a senior partner at the centre in Manzil Way, where he worked for more than 25 years, until he retired in 1990.

Born in London in 1924, he was the son of a pharmacist. He was educated at Marlborough School and qualified in medicine in 1948 at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the City of London.

Soon afterwards Dr Lawrence took up a post at St Stephen’s Hospital in London, before spending two years in the RAF, running a mobile x-ray unit.

During a holiday in Switzerland he met Una Turner, whom he married in 1952. A year later the couple moved to Oxford, where Dr Lawrence became the partner of GP Dr Maurice Stein.

At the surgery on the corner of Bartlemas Road and Cowley Road, Dr Lawrence quickly established himself as a skilful and popular GP.

When the practice moved in 1964 to the new East Oxford Health Centre in Manzil Way, Dr Lawrence became senior partner, training newly-qualified GPs in practice skills, on top of his daily work with patients. One pioneering initiative that he oversaw was a Vigour Group fitness programme for middle-aged men, which became popular in the 1970s.

In 1996 the OUP published a book that Dr Lawrence co-authored, entitled Handbook of Emergencies in General Practice.

A strong chess player from his boyhood, Dr Lawrence became president of the Oxford City Chess Club in 1975. For many years he played for the Cowley Workers Chess Club, winning numerous trophies.

After retiring, Dr Lawrence, who lived in Headington, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He died at the John Radcliffe Hospital on February 20.

A funeral service was held at Wolvercote Cemetery on February 25.

Dr Lawrence is survived by his widow, their children David and Nadia and three grandchildren.