A short ceremony will be held on Wednesday 31st July at 1pm, to officially name a Wilmslow town centre road in tribute to a significant past Wilmslow resident.
The previously unnamed road off Broadway will be named Walpole Way, after Arthur Leonard Walpole, who played a leading role in the discovery of ground-breaking cancer drugs credited with saving and prolonging countless lives worldwide.
New road signage and an information board have been installed on the area where Broadway turns towards Wilmslow Leisure Centre.
Arthur Walpole, born in Norwich in 1913, moved to Wilmslow in 1937 when recruited to work for ICI in Manchester. Arthur and his wife Dora lived on Broadway for 37 years then, later, lived on Hawthorn Lane until he passed away in 1977.
Arthur Walpole was at the forefront in the discovery and development of Nolvadex (Tamoxifen) and Zoladex (Goselerin), which have transformed the treatment of breast and prostate cancers.
"It is estimated that more than 400,000 women are alive today as a result of tamoxifen therapy, and millions more have benefited from palliation and extended disease-free survival." Jordan, V.C., Tamoxifen: a most unlikely pioneering medicine. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2, 205–213 (March 2003).
In 2008, Tamoxifen was described by Harvard cancer expert Harold Burstein as "the most Important drug in the history of medical oncology". Hill, G. B., Alderley Park discovered, p186, Palatine Books Carnegie Publishing (2016).
Arthur Walpole died shortly after retirement and before Tamoxifen and Goselerin reached the pinnacle of their respective clinical value. However, many of his former colleagues, collaborators and experts in the field believe that, had he not died, he would have been at least nominated for a Nobel Prize.
As well as being a groundbreaking scientist, Arthur Walpole was a prominent member of the Wilmslow community and was an active contributor to other aspects of Wilmslow life such as the Green Room and Guild. He took up acting in local amateur dramatic productions in order to help combat his innate shyness and bolster his confidence in speaking in meetings and lectures.
Following his death, the World's leading science journal – Nature – published an obituary recognising his contribution to science. "..... As a person, he naturally attracted a wide circle of friends and collaborators, and his other qualities extended deeply into the arts. Above all, he was much concerned for humanity, whether in the mass or the individual." Rose, F., A. L. Walpole. Nature 270, 460 (1977).
Town Mayor, Councillor Tim Higgins, said, "Wilmslow Town Council, on behalf of the people of the town, is proud to honour Arthur Walpole's ground-breaking contribution to modern medicine by naming Walpole Way in tribute to him.
"All are welcome to join us on Wednesday at 1pm for a short ceremony and ribbon-cutting, so please come along if you are able to."
The ceremony will be held at the junction of Broadway and Walpole Way, at the junction where Broadway turns to Wilmslow Leisure Centre. The Google Maps location is https://maps.app.goo.gl/1rKTtKuEP9aQHF857
