William Alexander Hogg McKerrow was educated at Aberdeen University where he graduated MB ChB with first class honours in 1906. He worked as a junior demonstrator of anatomy at the Marischal College Aberdeen, and was a house physician at the Royal Northern Hospital, and later a resident surgical officer at Preston Royal Infirmary. He passed the FRCS England Examination in 1914 and served as a temporary surgeon RN in the first world war. McKerrow settled in Preston and became honorary surgeon to the Preston Royal Infirmary, and consulting surgeon to neighbouring Cottage Hospitals at Chorley and Lytham St Anne's. He died peacefully in the Workington Infirmary after a short illness on 9 March 1972.