Peter Broadhead Lacy was born in New Malden, Surrey, on 11 November 1923, the son of Ernest Lacy, a pharmacist, and his wife Alice Mildred, née Broadhead. He was educated at Ewell Castle School and Surbiton County School before being awarded a scholarship to Manchester University to read medicine. He qualified in 1946 gaining a distinction in medicine and then trained in surgery in the Greater Manchester area, being particularly influenced by Sir Harry Platt. He passed his FRCS in 1955 but three years later gave up surgery to enter general practice in villages in Lincolnshire. He was a true family doctor, enjoying all aspects of medicine and putting great energy into helping all who came his way. He served on the local Parish Council and was active in the Methodist Church, being a lay preacher and a steward. For many years he worked with young people in the Crusader movement and latterly with the Youth for Christ movement. In 1950 he married Joan, nee Millar, and there were two sons and three daughters of the marriage. He was a model railway enthusiast, a keen photographer especially of wild flowers, and enjoyed travelling abroad. Shortly before he died he had visited his elder son who was working in a Mission Hospital in Pakistan. When he died on 17 April 1987 he was survived by his wife, also a doctor, and his five children, two of whom, Ian and Ruth, are doctors.