John Scholefield was born in Castleford, Yorkshire, in 1907 and received his medical education at St Bartholomew's Hospital, qualifying with the Leeds MB ChB and with the conjoint diploma in 1931. He obtained the Fellowship in 1934. He spent part of his training at the Mayo Clinic, also serving as a ship's surgeon, and worked under great stress during the London Blitz, before becoming surgeon to the West Middlesex Hosital and St Mary's Hospital, Hampton. An enthusiastic member of surgical associations, he regularly attended their meetings and was a renowned teacher. Predeceased by his wife, Jill, whom he met when she was nursing at Leeds, he left two sons, Anthony and James, two daughters, Barbara and Pru, and seven grandchildren. He died on 21 July 1995.