Muriel Sydney Hulke was born at Walmer, Kent on 17 August 1904. Her father Sydney Backhouse Hulke was a Fellow of the College and was in general practice. He was the nephew of John Whitaker Hulke who was President of the Royal College of Surgeons from 1893 to 1895. Her grandfather was also in the profession. She was educated at the Welsh Girls' School, Ashford, Middlesex, University College London and University College Hospital. She did resident jobs at University College Hospital, the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Royal Northern Hospitals. She was greatly influenced by R J McNeil Love. She spent some time in India and was Superintendent of the Lady Reading Hospital, Simla and also of the Dufferin Hospital, Lucknow. She married in 1935 L Brander, university lecturer, writer and publisher and they had one son who qualified at Guy's Hospital after having worked as a technician in the Department of Pathology at the College. Her chief hobby was painting. She died on 23 September 1975 aged 71.