William Denis Watts

W D Watts (Bill) passed away on 7 June 2025 surrounded by close family aged 96 (97 in July). Bill was a much loved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.

Bill trained at the London Foot Hospital and then set up a private practice in St Albans in the 1950s– a busy practice of 50 years. He soon became involved in the politics of the profession and was elected to the governing council, serving as a member of the governing body of the Society of Chiropodists, and chairman of its editorial committee.

Bill was a tireless campaigner for changes within the profession. His ambition was to gain legal recognition of the title of ‘chiropodist/podiatrist’ in order to protect the public from the malpractice of bogus ‘chiropodists’ who could at this time practice without formal qualifications. After many decades, this has now been achieved through an Independent Registration Act passed in 2003.

After successfully completing a course in analgesia, Bill campaigned once again to have analgesia taught in the teaching hospitals. The idea of performing painful procedures without analgesia was in direct contrast to every other surgical field. After 10 years of campaigning, this was also achieved.

Bill was invited to lecture at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, and subsequently presented with a rare silver JFK half-dollar by Dr Mervin Shapiro, for services to the profession. This coin was one of the most iconic and highly sought.

Bill was without doubt an outstanding representative of his generation of chiropodists, coming to the fore at the end of WW2, and his tireless campaigning helped shape the development of modern chiropody/podiatry.

Bill was a man of many talents, including carpentry, bell-ringing DIY and writing.

W D Watts (Bill) – a unique character... clever, witty, eloquent, and so capable of everything. Sadly missed by all who knew him.

Obituary written by David Watts