John Grieve Whitaker was born in 1895, the son of a doctor who qualified in Belfast, and his mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Grieve, was of Scottish descent. His father died when John was eight years old, and the family then moved to Canterbury, a suburb of Melbourne, where he was educated a

Vanessa Wright was a consultant paediatric surgeon at the Royal London Hospital. She was born on 1 August 1943 in Chichester, Sussex, and studied medicine at University College, London, qualifying in 1966. She was a registrar at Queen Mary's Hospital for Children, Carshalton and at University Col

Ambrose Jolleys was born on 25 September 1919 in Ireleth, Westmoreland. He was educated at Urmston Grammar School, Manchester, and graduated MB ChB from Liverpool University in 1942. He was appointed a consultant in 1952, the first full-time paediatric surgeon in Manchester. He was a true pioneer

Ruth Valda Magnus worked as resident medical officer to the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, in 1956 and from 1958 to 1959. She was at the Royal Children's Hospital in 1957 and became a surgical registrar there, 1964-65. She became consultant paediatric surgeon at the Dandenong and District Hospital in V

Valentine Andrew James Swain was a paediatric surgeon in London's East End. He was born on 21 February 1910, a twin, in Ilford, Essex, into a family with a strong medical tradition. His father, James Steel Swain, and grandfather were both doctors. His mother was Mary Blanche née MacMunn. He went fro

Hilary Anne King was born in Cobham, Surrey, on 16 November 1956, the daughter of Charles William King, a structural engineer and Hilda Eileen, née Walker. Her early education was at Rowan Preparatory School in Claygate and at Malvern Girls' College, before entering Leeds University Medical School.

John Francis Rogers Bentley was born in India on 5 March 1920. He entered Guy's Hospital Medical School, qualifying in 1942. After initial house appointments in the Emergency Medical Service at Guy's Hospital and the North Middlesex Hospital he joined the Indian Medical Service, rising to the rank o

Peter Jones was a paediatric surgeon at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. He was born in Melbourne on 26 September 1922. His father was William Aeron Jones, a former President of the Australian Veterinary Association, and his grandfather was David Jones, a Welsh sea captain. His mother, Elsi

Christopher Hugh Rance was a consultant paediatric surgeon at Nottingham City Hospital. This is a draft obituary. If you have any information about this surgeon or are interested in writing this obituary, please email lives@rcseng.ac.uk

John Meiring Beck was a consultant paediatric surgeon at Leeds General Infirmary. He was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 10 August 1933. His father, Johannes Henricus Meiring Beck, was a general practitioner; his mother, Mavis Beck née Courtenay, was a legal secretary prior to her marriage. B

Isabella Forshall was born and spent her childhood in affluent surroundings in Sussex. Details of her family are not recorded but she was educated privately at home where her mother, who read classics at Girton College, Cambridge in the 1890s, had a powerful influence, imbuing her with a keen apprec

Roger Brereton was born on 31 March 1943 in Crewe, where his father was an electrical instrument maker for the railways. After local schooling he went up to Liverpool University Medical School where he graduated in 1966. His inclinations were at first towards obstetrics, taking the DRCOG, and it was