Richard Wolfson

Richard Wolfson (Born: October 17, 1922, Govanhill; Died: February 7, 2012. Born Israel Mordecai Wolfson, known as 'Dick'.) was a Glasgow based Zionist activist.

Richard Wolfson, who has died aged 89 after a long illness, was a trail-blazing dental expert whose work on new anaesthetics helped ease the fear of patients. Known as Dick, Dr Wolfson was born in Glasgow and educated at Albert Road Academy (later Pollokshields Secondary School) and his strong and lasting loyalty came to the fore when he was involved in the organisation of the 120th anniversary of his alma mater in 2004. He studied medicine, a decision made after wrestling between medicine and dentistry. He graduated from Glasgow's Anderson College of Medicine and, after two years in the Royal Army Medical Corps, Dr Wolfson studied anaesthetics at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and began a career as a dental anaesthetist, thus combining his interests in medicine and dentistry. At that time dental anaesthetists were a rara avis: anaesthetising the patient was usually done by the dentist using a mixture of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oxygen – not infrequently with dire results. To quote Dr Wolfson: "It was a source of embarrassment when a resistant male landed a right uppercut to the dentist's jaw, followed by a left hook to the body." The wrecking propensities of a half-anaesthetised patient could quickly remove the last vestige of cheer from the happiest of dentists. But Dr Wolfson tackled the problem, publishing research papers embracing new drugs and techniques and thus easing the fear of patients who now spent much less time in the dentist's chair.

On retiring in his early 70s, Dr Wolfson had more time to indulge in his passion for after-dinner speaking which he attacked with great panache. He was generous of spirit and his warmth and empathy drew people to him. His incisive wit could be gauged by his winning the National Wag of Wags competition in 2003 and by receiving numerous invitations to toast Scotland's national poet at Burns Nights. The highlight of these was an invitation from the Burns Club in Moscow – not the hamlet in Ayr but the capital of Russia – where he delivered the toast in Russian and English. According to Dr Wolfson, "probably neither was understood". Another accolade was an invitation to speak at the Stag Dinner of the Variety Club of Britain. He was generous with his time. He spoke pro bono for numerous charities and donated much of the proceeds from other engagements to a variety of worthy causes. And, no matter how busy, he always found time to help others who appealed for his aid in writing and delivering their speeches.

Dr Wolfson was also an active member of the Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow and served for three years as vice president. He and his wife were patrons of the International Scottish Piano Competition and on several occasions provided accommodation and hospitality to foreign contestants. He had many other interests of which he was proud, one of which was as a member of the Board of Governors of Tel Aviv University and another being a Knight of St John. Throughout his life Dr Wolfson was an enthusiastic golfer and was one of the founding members and chairman of the Bonnyton Golf Club in Renfrewshire. He was a man of great determination– not stubborn, just determined. At 80 he decided it would be pleasing to win the Veteran Cup. He did. After 47 years of marriage Dr Dick Wolfson, who bore his illness with stoicism and more than a little humour, is survived by his wife Lyn, son, daughter and four grandsons.

Family

• Mother Hannah Wolfson (nee Frank)
• Brothers: Montague Wolfson and Leslie Wolfson ; Sister Sylvia Wolfson
• Wolfson family

Timeline

• 1972 - Jewish artists aid Wizo - From our Correspondent Glasgow - A Glasgow business man, managing director of a firm specialising in stainless steel products, a mother, daughter and son, and a Glasgow housewife whose painting has been selected for exhibition by the Royal Scottish Academy, were among the artists whose work was displayed at the third annual exhibition of the Glasgow Jewish Art Group.The businessman, Mr Louis Cina, who hopes to organise an art exhibition from the art talents of his factory workers, saw his contribution, "In Flight," an impressionist piece in stainless steel, sold to adorn the city desk of a professional man. The family trio are Mrs Gertrude Bentheim, Rozelle Bentheim and David Bentheim and the housewife is Alma Wolfson, whose seven paintings were rapidly snapped up by admirers of her work. The exhibition, organised by Dr Richard Wolfson to aid the funds of the Central Wizo Group, included sculpture, model aircraft, a display of foreign stamps and a collage produced by the, children of the Calderwood Lodge Jewish Day School The first day's sales at the exhibition, held in Capelrig House, Newton Mearns, amounted to almost £2,000. Mrs Doris Sclar, president of the Central Wizo Group, declared the exhibition open, and disclosed that the project to provide a creche at Maos Zion had been completed a year before schedule owing to the art group's efforts.
• 1969 - Art exhibition aids Wizo - More than 500 people visited the first exhibition of paintings andsculpture held by the recently formed Glasgow Jewish Art Group in Capelrig House, Newton Mearns, last week. Dr Richard Wolfson presided at the opening ceremony, which wasperformed by Mr Michael Goldberg. There were more than 100 exhibits on view, representing the work of a cross-section of the community, including works by doctors, teachers, businessmen and housewives. Rabbi Jeremy Rosen, minister of the Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation, showed several sketches and Dr Wolfson's wife, who is a sculptress, also exhibited. All the artists donated the proceeds of their work to Wizo and £1,300 was realised.
• 1966 - A son (Adrian Philip) was born on July 14, 1966, to Dr. and Mrs. Richard WOLFSON (Lyn Shulman). of 6 Lynton Avenue, Whitecraigs, Glasgow.

Affiliations

• Scottish Friends of Tel Aviv University