Frederick Denis Hindmarsh was born on 11 August 1914 in Ryton-on-Tyne, the son of Ralph Frederick Hindmarsh, a consulting civil engineer. He was educated at Newcastle Preparatory School, Durham School and Durham University. He qualified MB BS in 1938, obtained the FRCS in 1945 and the MS in 1946. He held junior appointments at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and was then appointed consulting surgeon to the Infirmary and lecturer in surgery to Newcastle- upon-Tyne University. He was house surgeon to his uncle, T A Hindmarsh, FRCS and was influenced also by A Hedley Whyte, J Brumwell, W Hewetson and G Y Feggeter. His published articles included 'Acute appendicitis in childhood', 'Duodenal ulcer treated by gastroenterostomy with vagotomy', and 'Different approach to the surgical treatment of inguinal hernia'. His war service was with 8th Casualty Clearing Station in the British Expeditionary Force (1939-40) and later in the Isle of Man, with 74 General Hospital, BLA, and Commanding 47 FSU with the rank of Major. He was awarded the TD. His interests were golf, gardening and art collecting. He married Frances Myrtle Reed in 1939. They had two sons - John Reed, a surgeon in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the other, Frederick Charles, an accountant working in the USA. He died on 9 April 1984, survived by his wife and sons.