Obituary: Philip Cole

Philip qualified as an optometrist in the mid-1940s. By the 1970s, when all was not well in the world of optics, optometry had emerged as a relatively new profession, but the various optical bodies were not fit for the purpose of leading this new profession. There was a need for a new organisation to oversee academic and examining functions and to lead professional development. The visionaries in the profession, including a relatively young Philip Cole, saw that there was a need to create a College of Optometrists. But there were huge challenges. To persuade the old organisations to relinquish some of their roles and to lead the formation of the new College required a man of intellect, stature, fairness, and who inspired others and commanded respect.