William Sewell received his medical education at Guy's Hospital, qualifying with the conjoint diploma in 1940 and obtaining the London MB BS in 1952, having previously gained his FRCS in 1950. He was surgical registrar at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, before becoming senior surgical registrar at the United Birmingham Hospitals and the North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary, Stoke-on-Trent. He was consultant surgeon to the City General Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, from 1960 until he retired in 1985. He died in 1995.