William Harry Jayne Weston was born in Liverpool on 28 November 1903 and educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby. After graduating in science in 1925 he spent nearly eight years as a schoolmaster at Pangbourne and Windsor. At the age of 30 he took up medicine and qualified at St George's Hospit

Evan Denham was born in Brisbane on 18 May 1913, but was brought up in New Zealand where his father, Henry George Denham, was Professor of Chemistry and Rector of Canterbury University. His mother was Helen Horrell, of farming stock. He was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch, and Canterbury

Joseph Mason qualified from St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1935 and received his training in surgery at Chesterfield Royal Hospital and Hull Royal Infirmary. He had a special interest in urology and was resident medical officer at St Paul's Hospital. He was consultant surgeon to Hull and East Riding H