George Kent Harrison was born on 25 September 1907, in London, Ontario. His father, George William Harrison, was a banker. He was educated at Bishop's College, Quebec, Appleby College, Ontario, and the University of Toronto Medical School where he graduated MD in 1931. His resident appointments were at Toronto General Hospital and he was awarded a Leverhulme Scholarship at the Royal College of Surgeons shortly before the second world war. He joined the RAMC, and commanded No.8 Field Surgical Unit in the 8th Army at Alamein. He became Lieutenant-Colonel in command of the surgical division of a general hospital. After the war, he became thoracic surgeon to the London County Council, and later thoracic surgeon to Papworth and Addenbrooke's for four years and finally to St Thomas's Hospital, where he joined Norman Barrett. The hospital was at that time taking its first steps in cardiac surgery, and Harrison's wide experience of pulmonary and oesophageal surgery was of great benefit. From 1952, he was consultant thoracic surgeon to the Royal Navy and the RAMC. In his spare time he enjoyed playing tennis and squash and other interests included swimming and photography. In 1939, he married Mary Marryat, a great-niece of Captain Marryat, and a painter. She pre-deceased him and he was survived by their four sons and three daughters; Malcolm, Cecil, John, Stephen, Kent, Louise and Lucy, one of them a nurse, when he died on 15 November 1987.