A DOCTOR revered for his selfless medical and community contributions on the Isle of Wight has died at the age of 92.

Dr John Mackett was born on the Island and educated at Ryde School and King’s College in London before studying medicine at St George’s Hospital Medical School.

In 1951, he began work as a junior doctor at the Isle of Wight County Hospital before national service with the British Army on the Rhine.

Following demob he went back to St George’s to specialise in anaesthetics before returning to the Island, where he joined a general practice at The Mall in Newport, in conjunction with a prominent role at St Mary’s Hospital.

Dr Mackett was a qualified hypnotist and active member of the British Society for Medical Hypnosis, focusing on the control of pain and treatment of addiction, most notably dependence on tobacco.

Dr Mackett married Christine in 1952, and the couple had three children — Ann, David and Katherine.

They moved to Wootton High Street ten years later, where Dr Mackett lived for the rest of his life.

Outside his medical work, Dr Mackett was an enthusiastic member of the Isle of Wight Philatelic Society and had a significant stamp collection with themes on various aspects of medical history, on which he gave regular talks and presentations.

Dr Mackett joined and supported the Wight Locomotive Society, becoming one of the founding directors of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway in 1972.

He became a signalman, spending many happy hours working the signal box at Havenstreet, subsequently writing books on railways and ferries.

Dr Mackett leaves behind his wife, Christine, two daughters, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. His son David died in 2018.