Selwyn Griffin was born at St Helen's, Lancashire, on 3 May 1913. His father, George Harold Barlow Griffin, was a headmaster, and his mother was Ada Ann, née Gerrard. He was educated at St Helen's and Liverpool University, where he was influenced by Sir Robert Kelly and Sir Reginald Watson-Jones. He became lecturer and eventually senior surgeon in charge of the cardiothoracic surgical service at Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1947 he married Joan Dickinson, MB BS, and they had three children. At Shotley Bridge Hospital he helped to form the regional thoracic centre and later a cardiothoracic surgical unit at Seaham Hall, developing cardiac surgery for the Northern region. Griffin was an excellent and neat surgeon and a good teacher and lecturer. He was interested in oesophageal surgery, particularly in children. He enjoyed golf, rugger and tennis, badminton and yachting, ornithology, gardening and wildlife. He died on 7 March 1992, survived by his wife, a son (a consultant surgeon), two daughters and six grandchildren.