John George Corson was a colorectal surgeon at Sunderland Royal Hospital. He was born on 30 November 1926 in Fareham, Hampshire, the youngest son of Eric Reid Corson, a naval officer, and Marjorie Miller Corson née Winants. He was educated at Wixenford School in Wokingham, West Downs School in Winchester and then at Winchester College (from 1940 to 1944). He went on to study medicine at St Thomas’s Hospital Medical School, London, qualifying in 1950. He carried out his National Service in the Royal Army Medical Corps, in Korea and Japan, leaving with the rank of captain. Prior to his consultant appointment, he held posts at St Thomas’ Hospital and at Leicester Royal Infirmary. During his training he particularly remembered being influenced by Trevor Walter ‘Gaffer’ Mimfriss, Ernest Reginal ‘Friz’ Frizelle and Norman Barrett. Outside medicine he was interested in flying, steam engines and boats. In 1963 he married Margaret Frances Beard. They had four sons and a daughter. John George Corson died on 11 December 2016. He was 90.