Harold William Wookey was born in Mandeville, Jamaica on 29 April, 1889. He was the son of Charles Arthur Wookey, a clergyman. He studied at Toronto University Medical School where he won a silver medal in 1913, the year in which he qualified. He held appointments at the Toronto General Hospital. During the first world war he served as a Major in the CAMC. He was Hunterian Professor at the College in 1947. Back in Canada he was Chairman of the Research Committee of the Cancer Foundation. Among his publications were those on the surgical treatment of oral and oesophageal cancer. In June 1922 he married Dorothy Constable-Jones. His interests were cricket, golf and gardening. He died on 14 December, 1980.