John Bridger was a consultant general surgeon in Stafford. Born on 2 September 1926, John grew up in Enfield, north London, where his father, George Bridger, was the superintendent of parks. His mother was Violet Millicent Bridger née Lee. He gained a scholarship to Enfield Grammar School and later,

John Coals was a consultant surgeon in accident and emergency surgery at Chester Royal Infirmary. He was born in Highbury, London, on 8 February 1930, the son of John Rueben Coals, a shipping agent, and Alice Maud Beatrice née Ensor. He was educated at St Andrew’s Church School and Enfield Grammar S

Barrington Sherwood Mather, known as 'Barrie', was a surgeon in Cairns and Melbourne, Australia. He was born in Birmingham on 15 February 1932, the eldest of three children of Cecil Aubrey Mather, a general practitioner, and Dorothy Collins Mather née Guest. His brother John also became a doctor and

Brian Sterry Ashby was born in Northampton on 28 August 1930, the son of Roland Sterry Ashby, an estate agent and auctioneer. His mother, Marion Elizabeth née Phillips, was a company director whose father and two brothers were all dental surgeons. He attended Waynefleet House primary school in Brack

John Stephen Winter was born on 21 January 1920 and educated and trained at Cambridge University and Liverpool University Medical School qualifying during the second world war. He served in the RAMC until 1947 and then joined the Royal Air Force Medical Service in 1950. Having worked in general, ort

John Robb was a consultant surgeon at Route Hospital, Ballymoney, Northern Ireland. Born on 24 February 1932 in Downpatrick, County Down, he was the son of John Charles Robb, a general practitioner, and his wife Jessie Bannatyne née Wilson. Her father, a judge, had been the last Solicitor-General of

Roger Armour was a consultant general and vascular surgeon at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage, who in retirement invented an inexpensive ophthalmoscope, which could be used in poorer regions of the world. He was born Roger Hanif Ahmed on 19 August 1934 in Murree, a small hill station in the foothil

Paul Atkins was a consultant surgeon in Liverpool. He was born on 26 June 1933, into a musical family. His father George, known as 'Tommy', made and repaired church organs, including the one in Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. His mother Dorothy was a dressmaker. As a student at King's College Hospit

John Eliot Trapnell was a consultant surgeon in Bournemouth with a special interest in the pancreas. He was born in Bristol on 25 April 1930, the son of Eliot Trapnell, a solicitor, and Ruth Manson Trapnell née Fells, a domestic science teacher whose father had been a medical missionary and a surgeo

John Lloyd Provan was born on 9 August 1931 in Newport, England. His father was Andrew Lloyd, a chief chemist for the Milk Marketing Board, and his mother was Gwyneth Mary Evans. He attended Adams' Grammar School, Newport, Shropshire, from 1939 to 1945. From there he went to King's College School, W

Robin Downie was a consultant general surgeon in Liverpool. He was born on 2 May 1927 in Hightown, Merseyside, the son of a dentist. He was educated at Holmwood School, Formby, and Shrewsbury, where he excelled at sport. He then carried out his military service, during which time he took a six-month

Brian Pearson was a consultant general surgeon in Ilford, London. He could be described in terms of one of his interests: he was like a good wine, he improved over time. Unpretentious, with a soft trace of his Birmingham-derived accent, he had a sly sense of humour, and did not have all his other ma