Born 16 April 1868 at Merstham, Surrey, second child and second son of Edwin Peters and Damaris Kingsnorth, his wife. He was educated at Charterhouse and at Caius College, Cambridge, where he took first-class honours in Part 1 of the Natural Sciences Tripos, 1889, and second-class honours in Part 2,

Born on 16 March 1869 at Stoneycroft, Green Lane, Liverpool, the fourth child and second son of John Edward Dickinson, owner of the Liver Block Works, Peter's Lane, Liverpool, and Elizabeth Humphreys, his wife. He was educated at the Merchant Taylor's School, Great Crosby, Liverpool and at Liverpool