After leaving general practice in Wales, dad began his career in pathology.  He commenced as a trainee pathologist then progressed to registrar at Guys Hospital in London.  He then moved into a trainee bacterioloist post at West Norwich Hospital.  It was in Norwich, as a member of the rowing club that dad met mum, Helen Knox. 

Dad then transferred to another trainee bacteriologist post at the Public Health Laboratory in Birmingham.  Following this he moved back to London on secondment to work as an assistant bacteriologist whilst studying for a Postgraduate Diploma in Bacteriology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.  He gained his Diploma in July 1958.

Mum and dad were married on 18 November 1958 at Greenbank Church in Edinburgh.

Still living in London, dad worked as Assistant Bacteriologist at the Central Public Health Laboratory, Colindale.  During this time in 1959 he began to search for a post outside London where he could comfortably raise a young family.