The Jewish Chronicle
19 April 2002
Place of Birth:Born Johannesburg
Born:May 5, 1929.
Died:Died London, March 12, 2002, aged 72.
One of the leading child psychiatrists of his generation, South African-born Professor Israel (Issy) Kolvin embarked on a research career in Britain which generated 240 learned articles and five books across the whole field of child psychiatry.
His talent and drive were recognised early, with his appointment in 1963, at the age of 34, as head of the Nuffield Unit at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. His work in transforming the unit into an international centre of excellence led to a personal chair in child psychiatry.
A statistician in the wider medical field, he directed the seminal “1,000 Family Study,” a long-term investigation of Newcastle families which enhanced understanding of the transmission of deprivation, criminality and mental illness across generations.
Professor Kolvin was profoundly affected by his own early life experiences. The loss of a devoutly Orthodox father, and consequent poverty, were compensated for by a loving mother and sisters, who struggled to ensure that he completed his education.
From Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg, he came to Scotland in 1958 with his wife, Rona, studying first at Edinburgh and then moving south to Oxford. The concept of “protective factors,” through which people broke free of deprived backgrounds, underlay much of his later work.
He quietly gave free professional advice whenever needed to a Jewish day school in Gateshead, and to Jewish schools in London. He also lectured at Gateshead yeshivah and, later, at Hendon Reform Synagogue in Lon-don. A member of the scientific committee for Soviet Jewry, he took books to refuseniks in the USSR in the 1970s.
At 61, when most professionals wind down, he was appointed to a chair at the Royal Free Hospital and the Tavistock Clinic in London.
Here he found the scope to achieve his goal of marrying his scientific approach and expertise in quantitative research with the pioneering psychotherapy work of the Tavistock.
While building up a new academic department of child psychiatry, he directed key research on the benefits of psychotherapy for depressed and sexually abused children, and established the chain through which an abused child could become an abusing adult. This work continued for nearly eight years without salary after his official retirement, and during a long battle with leukaemia.
In 1991, he led an academic study tour to Israel, organising and lecturing at an international conference in Tel Aviv on the cycle of childhood poverty and depression and the role of psychotherapy.
His was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of East London, the Tavistock’s academic partner, only weeks before his death.
A man who gave unstintingly to his profession both at home and internationally, he worked with a range of professional and governmental organisations and the editorial boards of learned journals.
His more than 30 years service to the Royal College of Psychiatrists was recognised with an honorary fellowship.
A modest man and team player who was widely respected and admired within his profession, he was content to see others earn credit for work which he had originated. He also quietly promoted the careers of junior associates and fostered their talents.
He is survived by his wife, daughter Jennifer, son Philip, and by four grandchildren.