Born at the Manor House, Barrasford, near Chollerton, Northumberland, 14 June 1862, the second child and second son of William George Laws, civil engineer, and Ellinor Shields, his wife. He was educated at the Newcastle Grammar School and at the University of Durham, where he was an associate in sci

Began practice as a surgeon in the City of London with a city and mercantile family connection, together with a "fair patrimony and a fine personal appearance". He was Surgeon to Newgate Gaol at a salary, followed by a retiring allowance, ample in amount at the time. He was appointed to the newly-ma

Came of the family to which belonged Hugh Oldham, Bishop of Exeter, who founded Manchester Grammar School in 1515, and Netley Abbey, besides being co-founder of Brasenose College and Corpus Christi College, Oxford. The son of James Oldham (qv), he received his professional training at Guy's Hospita

Born on October 23rd, 1837, the second son, in a family of nine, of the Rev Henry Mark Vernon, who was for forty-four years Vicar of Westfield, near Battle, Sussex. He was educated at Marlborough College from 1847-1856, where he had a good reputation as a scholar and fine athlete. In 1856 he beca

Charles Cook was an ophthalmic surgeon in London. He was born on 20 August 1913. His medical education was at Guy’s Hospital, where he qualified in 1939. During the war he served in the RAMC with great distinction. In 1944 he was awarded the George Medal for rescuing two gunners, pulling one from

James Hudson was an ophthalmic surgeon at Moorfields in London. He was born on 15 February 1916 in New Britain, Connecticut, USA. His father, William Shand, was a mechanical engineer and farmer. His mother was Ethel Summerskill. He was educated in Massachusetts, at Winchester County Day School and t

John Dermot Ainslie Common was a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary. He studied medicine at Westminster Hospital, where he qualified in 1971. Following his house appointment at the King Edward VII Hospital, Windsor, he went to Sierra Leone, where he worked on and wr

Douglas Arthur Langley was a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at the Royal Northern and Whittington hospitals in London. He was born on 18 April 1917 at Woolwich, London, to Arthur Langley, an Army officer, and Laura Elizabeth née Webber. He was educated at Cottingham College, Plumstead, and Woolwich C

Desmond Peel Greaves was a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at University College and Moorfields Eye hospitals in London. He was born on 14 December 1920 in the West Riding of Yorkshire to Bernard Peel, an optician, and Beatrice Peel. He was educated at High Storrs Grammar School, Sheffield, and then w

John Winstanley was an ophthalmic surgeon at St Thomas’ Hospital, London. He was born in London on 11 May 1919, the son of Bernard Joseph Winstanley, a captain in the Burma Sappers and Miners, and Grace née Taunton, the daughter of a solicitor. The younger of three sons, he was educated at Stoke Hou

Satya Bhushan Kapur was an ophthalmic surgeon. He was born on 4 March 1920 in Rangoon, Burma, the second child but first son of Lal Chand Kapur, a civil engineer with Burma Railways, and Bhagwanti Devi, whose father was an Ayurvedic physician. He was educated in Rangoon at the primary DAV School and

Graham Cleverly Pritchard was a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at King's College Hospital. His father was a general practitioner in Highgate, London. He studied medicine at Clare College, Cambridge, and King's College Hospital, London, qualifying MB BChir in 1939. At the outbreak of the Second World