TRIBUTES have been paid to a revered Merseyside professor who has died.

Ralph George Hendrickse, 83, died at his Heswall home on May 6, after a long and successful career which culminated at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM).

The father-of-five was born and grew up in Cape Town, and was one of the first non-white doctors to qualify from the city’s university in 1948, graduating at the top of his class.

His illustrious medical career took him to Durban, Zimbabwe, Scotland and Nigeria before he moved to Merseyside in 1969.

He was Professor of Tropical Paediatrics and International Health at LSTM and later Dean of the school.

He retired from LSTM in 1991, but continued to lecture for many years afterwards.

Yesterday, family and friends talked about his academic achievements and warm personality. The tributes read: “Ralph was an exceptional man and an outstanding scholar.

“He will be remembered for many things – his intellect, his breadth of knowledge and interests, as a campaigner and for his roguish humour, sense of fun and unquenchable zest for life.

“He was above all a devoted father, grandfather, great-grand father and uncle, and a warm and caring colleague, friend and neighbour for whom family and community were always of central importance.”