William Box was born on 1 December 1924, in Hampstead, London. His parents were William J O Box, a caterer, and Dorothea, née Green, a model. He was educated at Hilltop Hall School, Seaford, Haileybury, Trinity College, Dublin, and Edinburgh. After qualifying, he worked in junior surgical posts in Chertsey, Harrow, Exeter and West Africa. Having obtained Fellowships from both the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and England, he decided to train as a radiologist at University College London. He then took up a consultant post in Stratford, Leamington Spa and Warwick. He retired in 1989. He married a fellow doctor, Susan Helen Poynder, in June 1969. They had three children, Mary, William and Louisa. Sadly Susan died in 1978. He married for a second time, to Ann, in 1983. He was a skilled cabinet maker, and enjoyed making beautiful pieces of furniture in his workshop. He died on 25 October 2002.