Rikus Schoonees was a urologist in Cape Town, South Africa. He was born in Kuruman, South Africa, on 20 October 1937. His father, Diderikus Anthonie Schoonees, was a university lecturer; his mother, Maria Magdalena Schoonees née Van Der Bergh, was the daughter of a farmer. He was educated at Paul Ro

William 'Bill' Thomas took up skiing at the age of 40 and, enjoying the challenge, soon made himself a competent skier by sheer hard work. He died suddenly while on a skiing holiday in St Moritz on 26 February 1982. He was educated at Dulwich College and Pembroke College, Oxford, completing his c

Samuel Scher started his medical studies at the University of Cape Town and, being a very bright student, he was awarded the MA in anatomy in 1926 with such brilliant classmates as Sir Solly Zuckerman, Tom Dry and David Slome. He then entered University College Hospital in London, qualified in 1930

Derek Packham was head of the urology department at King's. He was born on 25 April 1932 in a tiny house off the Walworth Road in South East London, the only child of Albert William Packham, a local butcher. His mother was Jessie née Symonds. His second name was 'Albert', much to his relief, as he w

Ivan Ballantyne Tait was a consultant in charge of genitourinary medical services at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. He was born on 14 September 1928 in Stepps, Lanarkshire, Scotland. His father, also Ivan Tait, was a civil engineer; his mother was Elise Alexander Tait née Forsyth. He studied medicine at t

Bruce Pearson was born in Cairns, Queensland, on 29 July 1926, the son of Dr Henry Roy Pearson, a general practitioner with a special interest in obstetrics, and Louisa Agnes Crum. He went to Armidale High School, Perth Modern School and Sydney University, where he represented his school and college

Howard Hanley was an energetic and engaging urologist, one of those who in the early years of the NHS ensured that it would provide for specialist urology at a time when there was considerable opposition from the general surgeons. Howard was born in Hoylake, on the Wirral, on 27 July 1909. His fa

Patrick Doyle was a consultant urologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. He was born in Exeter on 27 October 1941, the son of William Doyle, the county medical officer for Devon, and Mary Dalton. Patrick was educated at Belmont Abbey School, Hereford, and St Bartholomew's Hospital, where he wa

Alan Boyd Holmes was a giant of surgical practice in Tasmania and a pioneer of urology in the state. He died on 13 December 2013, at the age of 87. Three weeks earlier he was snorkelling with his family in Queensland. Alan grew up in Sydney, where he was dux of Artarmon opportunity school, and

Peter Cader Tuckfield was educated at the University of Melbourne and graduated MB BS in 1949. He then became RMO at Prince Henry's Hospital, and was promoted to registrar in 1951, and from 1951-1953 was associate assistant surgeon. He came to England to work for the FRCS which he obtained in 1956.

Reynold Francis Xavier Noronha or 'Rey' as we all knew him, was born on the island of Mombasa, in Kenya, on 3rd December 1940, the second son of a family of four (an older brother, Edwin, and younger sisters, Lydia and Bevinda). His parents, born and raised in the Portuguese colony of Goa (speaking

Charles Lennox Ogilvy Macalister, or 'Mac' as he was always known, was a consultant urologist at Bradford Royal Infirmary. He was born on 5 June 1914 in Dundee, where his father, Charles, was a marine engineer. His mother was Elizabeth née McAinsh. He was educated at Morgan Academy and St Andrews Un