Beatrice Dobbie was born on 5 July 1903 at Sutton Coldfield in Warwickshire, the second daughter of John Edward Willmott, a company secretary, and his wife Florence, née Grannidge. She was educated at Devon Lodge, Sutton Coldfield, King Edward VI High School, Birmingham, and subsequently at Girton C

Flora Bridge was a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist serving the Southend area. She was born in Rochdale in 1906, where her father, John Hargreaves, was a commercial traveller selling flannel and clothing. Her mother, Flora, was a teacher. There were three children, Richard, Agnes and Flora,