Hubert Webb (neurovirologist) - Revision history

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	==Early life and varsity cricket==		==Early life and varsity cricket==
	The son of Indian Army Political Service official Wilfred Webb and Kathleen du Boulay, he was born in [[British India]] at [[Tonk, India\|Tonk]] in May 1927. He was educated in England at [[Winchester College]], where he excelled at sport.<ref name="OBIT">{{cite news\|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/asia-travel/india/professor-hubert-webb-k5r9nhc9jrb\|title=Professor Hubert Webb\|work=[[The Times]]\|location=[[London]]\|date=22 February 2011\|edition=Online\|access-date=5 March 2024\|url-access=subscription}}</ref> During the summer term of his final year at Winchester, Field Marshal [[Bernard Montgomery]] came to visit his son, [[David Montgomery, 2nd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein\|David]], where he was impressed by Webb's captaincy of the college cricket team in their match against [[Eton College]]. As a result, he was invited by Montgomery to accompany his son on a visit to his headquarters in the [[British occupation zone in Germany]], as well as meeting [[Vasily Chuikov]], the [[Soviet Union\|Soviet]] general who captured the ''[[Führerbunker]]''.<ref name="OBIT"/> From Winchester, he matriculated to study medicine at [[New College, Oxford]]. His medical training was undertaken at [[St Thomas' Hospital]], having gained a scholarship there in 1948.<ref name="RCP">{{cite web\|url=https://history.rcplondon.ac.uk/inspiring-physicians/hubert-eustace-webb\|title=Hubert Eustace Webb\|publisher=[[Royal College of Physicians]]\|date=February 2011\|volume=12\|access-date=5 March 2024}}</ref~~><ref name="OBIT"/~~>		The son of Indian Army Political Service official Wilfred Webb and Kathleen du Boulay, he was born in [[British India]] at [[Tonk, India\|Tonk]] in May 1927. He was educated in England at [[Winchester College]], where he excelled at sport.<ref name="OBIT">{{cite news\|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/asia-travel/india/professor-hubert-webb-k5r9nhc9jrb\|title=Professor Hubert Webb\|work=[[The Times]]\|location=[[London]]\|date=22 February 2011\|edition=Online\|access-date=5 March 2024\|url-access=subscription}}</ref> During the summer term of his final year at Winchester, Field Marshal [[Bernard Montgomery]] came to visit his son, [[David Montgomery, 2nd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein\|David]], where he was impressed by Webb's captaincy of the college cricket team in their match against [[Eton College]]. As a result, he was invited by Montgomery to accompany his son on a visit to his headquarters in the [[British occupation zone in Germany]], as well as meeting [[Vasily Chuikov]], the [[Soviet Union\|Soviet]] general who captured the ''[[Führerbunker]]''.<ref name="OBIT"/> From Winchester, he matriculated to study medicine at [[New College, Oxford]]. His medical training was undertaken at [[St Thomas' Hospital]], having gained a scholarship there in 1948.<ref name="OBIT"/><ref name="RCP">{{cite web\|url=https://history.rcplondon.ac.uk/inspiring-physicians/hubert-eustace-webb\|title=Hubert Eustace Webb\|publisher=[[Royal College of Physicians]]\|date=February 2011\|volume=12\|access-date=5 March 2024}}</ref>

	At Oxford, Webb again excelled in sport and won [[Blue (university sport)\|blues]] in four sports: golf, cricket, [[squash (sport)\|squash]] and [[rackets (sport)\|rackets]].<ref name="OBIT"/> In cricket, he made his debut in [[first-class cricket\|first-class]] for [[Oxford University Cricket Club]] against [[Lancashire County Cricket Club\|Lancashire]] at [[University Parks#Cricket ground\|Oxford]] in 1946;<ref name="FCM">{{cite web\|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6918/First-Class_Matches.html\|title=First-Class Matches Played by Hubert Webb\|publisher=CricketArchive\|access-date=3 May 2013\|url-access=subscription}}</ref> however, he had little success that season and was dropped after three games, and did not play any first-class cricket in 1947. He returned to the Oxford side in 1948, making eleven first-class appearances in that season.<ref name="FCM"/> In these, he scored 401 runs at an [[batting average (cricket)\|average]] of 28.64.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6918/f_Batting_by_Season.html\|title=First-Class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Hubert Webb\|publisher=CricketArchive\|access-date=5 March 2024\|url-access=subscription}}</ref> He gained his cricket club in that season's [[The University Match (cricket)\|University Match]] against [[Cambridge University Cricket Club\|Cambridge University]] at [[Lord's]], in which he scored an [[not out\|unbeaten]] 145 in Oxford's first innings.<ref name="WIS">{{cite book\|first1=Scyld\|last1=Berry\|author-link1=Scyld Berry\|first2=Lawrence\|last2=Booth\|author-link2=Lawrence Booth\|title=The Shorter Wisden 2011–2015\|date=2015\|publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]]\|location=London\|page=655\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v7NRCgAAQBAJ\|isbn= 9781472927330\|language=en}}</ref> His innings took 170 minutes, and included an eighth wicket partnership of 112 in 50 minutes with [[Tony Mallett]]. ''[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack\|Wisden]]'' wrote of his performance that "Webb was supreme".<ref>{{cite book\|last=Preston\|first=Norman\|year=1949\|title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack\|chapter=Other Matches at Lord's\|page=273\|edition=86\|publisher=Sporting Handbooks\|location=London\|asin=B000J2HSK4}}</ref>		At Oxford, Webb again excelled in sport and won [[Blue (university sport)\|blues]] in four sports: golf, cricket, [[squash (sport)\|squash]] and [[rackets (sport)\|rackets]].<ref name="OBIT"/> In cricket, he made his debut in [[first-class cricket\|first-class]] for [[Oxford University Cricket Club]] against [[Lancashire County Cricket Club\|Lancashire]] at [[University Parks#Cricket ground\|Oxford]] in 1946;<ref name="FCM">{{cite web\|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6918/First-Class_Matches.html\|title=First-Class Matches Played by Hubert Webb\|publisher=CricketArchive\|access-date=3 May 2013\|url-access=subscription}}</ref> however, he had little success that season and was dropped after three games, and did not play any first-class cricket in 1947. He returned to the Oxford side in 1948, making eleven first-class appearances in that season.<ref name="FCM"/> In these, he scored 401 runs at an [[batting average (cricket)\|average]] of 28.64.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6918/f_Batting_by_Season.html\|title=First-Class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Hubert Webb\|publisher=CricketArchive\|access-date=5 March 2024\|url-access=subscription}}</ref> He gained his cricket club in that season's [[The University Match (cricket)\|University Match]] against [[Cambridge University Cricket Club\|Cambridge University]] at [[Lord's]], in which he scored an [[not out\|unbeaten]] 145 in Oxford's first innings.<ref name="WIS">{{cite book\|first1=Scyld\|last1=Berry\|author-link1=Scyld Berry\|first2=Lawrence\|last2=Booth\|author-link2=Lawrence Booth\|title=The Shorter Wisden 2011–2015\|date=2015\|publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]]\|location=London\|page=655\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v7NRCgAAQBAJ\|isbn= 9781472927330\|language=en}}</ref> His innings took 170 minutes, and included an eighth wicket partnership of 112 in 50 minutes with [[Tony Mallett]]. ''[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack\|Wisden]]'' wrote of his performance that "Webb was supreme".<ref>{{cite book\|last=Preston\|first=Norman\|year=1949\|title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack\|chapter=Other Matches at Lord's\|page=273\|edition=86\|publisher=Sporting Handbooks\|location=London\|asin=B000J2HSK4}}</ref>

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{{Short description|English cricketer, professor, and neurovirologist (1927–2010)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Hubert Webb
| image =
| country = England
| full_name = Hubert Eustace Webb
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|5|30|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Tonk, India|Tonk]], [[Tonk State]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2010|11|8|1927|5|30|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Roehampton]], [[London]], England
| heightft =
| heightinch =
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = [[Leg break]]
| family = [[Arthur du Boulay]] (uncle)<br>[[Moray Macpherson]] (nephew)
| club1 = [[Oxford University Cricket Club|Oxford University]]
| year1 = {{nowrap|1946–1948}}
| club2 = [[Hampshire County Cricket Club|Hampshire]]
| year2 = 1954
| columns = 1
| column1 = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
| matches1 = 15
| runs1 = 461
| bat avg1 = 20.95
| 100s/50s1 = 1/3
| top score1 = 145[[not out|*]]
| deliveries1 = 24
| wickets1 = 1
| bowl avg1 = 15.00
| fivefor1 = –
| tenfor1 = –
| best bowling1 = 1/10
| catches/stumpings1 = 7/–
| date = 1 February
| year = 2010
| source = http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/22351.html Cricinfo
}}

'''Hubert Eustace "Hughie" Webb''' (30 May 1927 — 8 November 2010) was a pioneering and internationally renowned professor of [[neurovirology]] at [[St Thomas's Hospital]] in London. During his youth, he was an outstanding sportsman who played [[cricket]] at [[first-class cricket|first-class level]] for both [[Oxford University Cricket Club|Oxford University]] and [[Hampshire County Cricket Club|Hampshire]].

==Early life and varsity cricket==
The son of Indian Army Political Service official Wilfred Webb and Kathleen du Boulay, he was born in [[British India]] at [[Tonk, India|Tonk]] in May 1927. He was educated in England at [[Winchester College]], where he excelled at sport.<ref name="OBIT">{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/asia-travel/india/professor-hubert-webb-k5r9nhc9jrb|title=Professor Hubert Webb|work=[[The Times]]|location=[[London]]|date=22 February 2011|edition=Online|access-date=5 March 2024|url-access=subscription}}</ref> During the summer term of his final year at Winchester, Field Marshal [[Bernard Montgomery]] came to visit his son, [[David Montgomery, 2nd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein|David]], where he was impressed by Webb's captaincy of the college cricket team in their match against [[Eton College]]. As a result, he was invited by Montgomery to accompany his son on a visit to his headquarters in the [[British occupation zone in Germany]], as well as meeting [[Vasily Chuikov]], the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] general who captured the ''[[Führerbunker]]''.<ref name="OBIT"/> From Winchester, he matriculated to study medicine at [[New College, Oxford]]. His medical training was undertaken at [[St Thomas' Hospital]], having gained a scholarship there in 1948.<ref name="RCP">{{cite web|url=https://history.rcplondon.ac.uk/inspiring-physicians/hubert-eustace-webb|title=Hubert Eustace Webb|publisher=[[Royal College of Physicians]]|date=February 2011|volume=12|access-date=5 March 2024}}</ref><ref name="OBIT"/>

At Oxford, Webb again excelled in sport and won [[Blue (university sport)|blues]] in four sports: golf, cricket, [[squash (sport)|squash]] and [[rackets (sport)|rackets]].<ref name="OBIT"/> In cricket, he made his debut in [[first-class cricket|first-class]] for [[Oxford University Cricket Club]] against [[Lancashire County Cricket Club|Lancashire]] at [[University Parks#Cricket ground|Oxford]] in 1946;<ref name="FCM">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6918/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches Played by Hubert Webb|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=3 May 2013|url-access=subscription}}</ref> however, he had little success that season and was dropped after three games, and did not play any first-class cricket in 1947. He returned to the Oxford side in 1948, making eleven first-class appearances in that season.<ref name="FCM"/> In these, he scored 401 runs at an [[batting average (cricket)|average]] of 28.64.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6918/f_Batting_by_Season.html|title=First-Class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Hubert Webb|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=5 March 2024|url-access=subscription}}</ref> He gained his cricket club in that season's [[The University Match (cricket)|University Match]] against [[Cambridge University Cricket Club|Cambridge University]] at [[Lord's]], in which he scored an [[not out|unbeaten]] 145 in Oxford's first innings.<ref name="WIS">{{cite book|first1=Scyld|last1=Berry|author-link1=Scyld Berry|first2=Lawrence|last2=Booth|author-link2=Lawrence Booth|title=The Shorter Wisden 2011–2015|date=2015|publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]]|location=London|page=655|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v7NRCgAAQBAJ|isbn= 9781472927330|language=en}}</ref> His innings took 170 minutes, and included an eighth wicket partnership of 112 in 50 minutes with [[Tony Mallett]]. ''[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack|Wisden]]'' wrote of his performance that "Webb was supreme".<ref>{{cite book|last=Preston|first=Norman|year=1949|title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack|chapter=Other Matches at Lord's|page=273|edition=86|publisher=Sporting Handbooks|location=London|asin=B000J2HSK4}}</ref>

==Medical career and later life==
Webb qualified as a physician at St Thomas's Hospital in 1951, and was appointed as a house surgeon.<ref name="OBIT"/> He undertook his [[National Service Act 1948|National Service]] with the [[Royal Army Medical Corps]], gaining a short-service commission as a [[Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines)|lieutenant]] in September 1953,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=39971|date=25 September 1953|page=5162|supp=y}}</ref> with promotion to [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] following in November of the same year.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=40051|date=25 December 1953|page=7025|supp=y}}</ref> He played a first-class match for [[Hampshire County Cricket Club|Hampshire]] in 1954, against Oxford University.<ref name="FCM"/> By this point, Webb had a young family and his short-service commission enabled him to take his family to any posting. He was sent to Singapore at the height of the [[Malayan Emergency]], where he worked in the [[British Military Hospital, Singapore|British Military Hospital]].<ref name="OBIT"/> It was in Singapore that he developed an interest in viral diseases that affected the [[central nervous system]].<ref name="RCP"/> Amongst the diseases in studied in Malaya was a [[tick-borne encephalitis]], which was afflicting British troops and Malayan children, but not Malayan adults, with Webb realising their immunity was key to both prevention and cure. His success treating tick-borne encephalitis earned him an invitation to the [[National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine|National Research Council]] in [[Kuala Lumpur]], where he worked in 1957 and 1958, following his discharge from the British Army.<ref name="OBIT"/> This in turn led to him joining the [[Rockefeller Foundation]]'s new viral research institute in India at [[Pune|Poona]].<ref name="RCP"/>

In India where he made a study of [[Kyasanur Forest disease]] (KSD) which affected birds, [[monkey]]s, squirrels, and humans. Webb noted similarities between cases in India and those in [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Soviet Russia]], establishing a possible link to migratory birds;<ref name="OBIT"/> this led to the first in a long series of learned papers in medical journals and a lifelong career in [[neurovirology]].<ref name="RCP"/> He later turned down a further offer of employment from the Rockefeller Foundation, and returned to England, where he was appointed a neurology registrar at St Thomas’.<ref name="OBIT"/> He was appointed a consultant there in 1964.<ref name="RCP"/> He would become a professor of neurovirology in 1988 and ran his own research facility at St Thomas', where he led research into KSD and the ''[[Langat virus]]''.<ref name="RCP"/> For his contributions in the field, he was recognised by the [[University of London]] with a [[Doctor of Science]], with his work having an international reputation.<ref name="OBIT"/> At St Thomas', he ran an early morning [[General practice#United Kingdom|general practice]] for the Nightingale nurses of St Thomas', and became an honorary Nightingale upon his retirement.<ref name="RCP"/>

In retirement, he maintained an interest in sports, playing both [[golf]] and [[tennis]]. He was also a member of [[All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club]]. Webb died at [[Roehampton]] in November 2010.<ref name="WIS"/> He was survived by his wife, Monica, and their two children.<ref name="RCP"/> His nephew, [[Moray Macpherson]], and uncle, [[Arthur du Boulay]], also played first-class cricket.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cricinfo|id=22351}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Webb, Hubert}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Tonk district]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Rajasthan]]
[[Category:People educated at Winchester College]]
[[Category:Alumni of New College, Oxford]]
[[Category:English cricketers]]
[[Category:Oxford University cricketers]]
[[Category:Alumni of St Thomas's Hospital Medical School]]
[[Category:20th-century English medical doctors]]
[[Category:Royal Army Medical Corps officers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Malayan Emergency]]
[[Category:Hampshire cricketers]]
[[Category:British virologists]]
[[Category:English neuroscientists]]