James Eastwood Sykes was born in Accrington, educated at the University School at Southport, and at Liverpool University where he graduated MB, ChB in 1922. After junior posts in Liverpool he took the Edinburgh FRCS in 1926 and the English FRCS in 1929, and had clinical training as a registrar and surgical tutor at the Children's Hospital, Myrtle Street. He then became surgeon to Sharoe Green and St Joseph's Hospitals in Preston, and also to Lytham St Anne's Cottage Hospital. In 1945 he was appointed surgeon to the Victoria Hospital Accrington, and ultimately, in 1948 when the National Health Service started, he was posted to the Blackburn Group of Hospitals. He retired from his hospital duties in 1965. Sykes was a careful and skilful surgeon, and as he was a man of sound and moderate views, and could stand up for matters of principle, he was greatly valued as a committee member and in 1953 was appointed to the Blackburn and District Hospital Management Committee on which he continued to serve till shortly before he died. He was never very strong physically and therefore his leisure interests were chiefly in music, literature and photography. Though reserved in manner he was essentially kind and friendly, and dedicated to his profession. Sykes died in hospital in Blackburn on 29 December 1970, at the age of 70, and was survived by his wife Jessica.