COLLEAGUES and family have paid tribute to a renowned allergy expert with encyclopaedic knowledge and a gentle, modest demeanour.

Professor Tony Frew moved to Brighton in 2005 as one of the “founder members” of the new medical school.

In addition to becoming a prominent member of the acute medical, respiratory and allergy teams, he established infrastructure for teaching medical students.

The professor of allergy and respiratory medicine at the Royal Sussex County Hospital was a leading member of the UK allergy community.

Colleagues Christopher Corrigan said the allergy world was stunned to hear of his death at the age of 68.

Prof Frew was born and raised in Essex, the oldest of three boys. His father was a GP, their house was the GP surgery and the GP partners their family. Every day Tony’s paternal grandfather, his father and Uncle Tom sat smoking around the dining room table as they read the clinical post and sorted the envelopes for the day’s home visits.

Prof Frew went to prep school close to Ashdown Forest and at 13 won the top scholarship to Westminster School and as a Queen’s scholar had open access to Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

He loved tradition and history and was proud to be one of the two cantors for the service of Commemoration for Elizabeth I.

At 17 he won a maths scholarship to Peterhouse, Cambridge, his father’s old college. He decided to switch to medicine and delayed university entry to take an extra A level in biology before going off to perfect his German, working as a hospital porter in Hamburg.

He went on to train in respiratory medicine and became an award-winning leader in his field. Among his many professional achievements, he oversaw and expanded an active clinical practice in acute general internal medicine, respiratory medicine and clinical allergy.

Mr Corrigan said: “Outside of the academic sphere, Tony was blessed with many other talents of which many of his friends and colleagues may be unaware given that, above all, he was a gentle and meek person who was not in the habit of boasting or placing himself before anybody else.

“He loved travelling and classical music, particularly opera, and was fluent in French, German and Italian. He loved country walks and wildlife and had, as any of his acquaintances who have put his talents to the test will confirm, an apparently infinite store of general knowledge.

“We will all miss his quiet smile, humour and gentle but firm application of concern and wisdom. Above all, he will be sadly missed by his loving family: Helen Smith, his wife, a professor of family medicine and primary care, and his children Edward and Georgina (trainee doctors), Sophie (a teacher) and Alex (working in marketing).

Prof Frew died at his Brighton home in November.