Wilfred Watkinson Holtzmann, he changed his name by deed-poll in 1919, was born at Bradford on 16 February 1877, the fourth child and third son of Charles Louis Theodore Holtzmann, merchant, and Pauline Watkinson, his wife. He was educated at Bradford Grammar School, at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he was placed in the second-class in the Natural Sciences Tripos, part 1, 1899, at the London Hospital, where he served as resident accoucheur, house surgeon, and house physician, and at Vienna. He practised fora time at Clipsley Lodge, Haydock, Lancashire, serving as medical superintendent of the Haydock Cottage Hospital, and was appointed surgeon to the Hospital at St Helens. During the first world war he served as surgeon lieutenant-commander in the RNVR Medical Service. He afterwards settled at Green End House, Boxmoor, and was surgeon to the West Herts Hospital at Hemel Hempstead. Watkinson married Violet Casson, and they had four children. After retirement he lived at Tudor House, Hall Lane, Walton-on-Naze, Essex. He died on 26 February 1944, and was buried at Rusthall Church, Tunbridge Wells, Kent on 1 March 1944. He was survived by two sons and a daughter. His second son, Captain Peter Watkinson, was accidentally killed on 2 March 1941.