As far as we know, Pembroke House Surgery began as a single-handed practice in the early twenties with Dr Burridge. We think he started the practice in St Paul's Road, before moving to the corner house in Fortescue Road. In those days the doctor lived "on-site", and his daughter tells us that she can still remember playing in one of the consulting rooms, and dining in another!

He was succeeded by Dr Bill Empey, who carried on as a single doctor, having qualified after military service. At this time the practice ceased to double as the private residence of the doctor. In 1969, he was joined by John and Carol Kuur; an interesting turn of fate as Dr John Kuur used to attend the surgery as a patient when a boy.

Dr Richard Lee joined the practice on Dr Empey's retirement in 1971, but was sadly struck down by illness before he had been in practice very long. He died in 1977. Many of our patients still remember his attention to them while he was alive.

In 1978 Dr Green joined John and Carol Kuur at Pembroke House. The practice began a long series of extensions and rebuilding. We became a "training practice" in 1981 and qualified to teach young doctors at the practice. Many of the doctors in and around Torbay had some of their training at Pembroke House. The number of staff employed at the practice increased between 1985-95 in reception, administration and nursing.

Dr Hunt became a partner in 1983, and began his interest in Rowcroft Hospice. After John Kuur retired from the practice in 1988, Dr Howitt joined the practice from another local surgery: both he and Dr Hunt were trainees here.

In 1992 we became a Fundholding Practice, managing an NHS Budget to obtain hospital and other services for our patients . This continued until Fundholding ended in 1997.

Most recently we have been joined by Dr Helen Bishop as a Partner here in the practice, working part-time to combine both her career and bringing up her young family.

Those who can remember No 1 Fortescue Road in its original state may recall the old front door which featured a couple of stained glass panels depicting a small bird feeding. We were not able to identify the bird but the feature always appealed to us and we copied it in a glass panel just inside the current front door. The original still exists in a site not far from home, and we have used the bird as a symbol on our practice logo.