Gordon Stuart Baron-Hay was a consultant paediatric surgeon at the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth, Western Australia. He was born in Perth on 26 June 1935. His father was George Kingston Baron-Hay, an agriculturalist; his mother, Vera, was a psychiatrist. He was educated at Wesley

Barry King graduated MB BS from Melbourne University in 1958. After initial postgraduate training at Prince Henry's Hospital and the Repatriation Gen Hospital he went to England in 1966 and gained his FRCS. From 1966 until 1968 he worked with Peter Martin, first at Chelmsford and then at the Hammers

John Hale was a consultant general and colorectal surgeon at Redhill in Surrey. He was born into a family of market gardeners in the Vale of Evesham, Worcestershire. He showed early academic promise and attended Prince Henry's Grammar School in Evesham, where he was head boy. He then gained a schola

Abiden Behranwala was a consultant general surgeon in Mumbai, India. He was born in what was then Bombay on 28 July 1934, the son of Abdali Behranwala, a businessman, and Sarabai Behranwala, and grew up in the city. His mother was loving and encouraging, nurturing him through difficult financial tim

Gnamani Peter Christian was a professor of surgery at the Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. He was born in Nazareth, Tamil Nadu on 29 November 1927, the second son of Rajarathnam Theophilus Christian, a farmer and insurance executive, and Chellathai Christian née Ponnammal. His

Graham Richard Varley (Dick) was born on 5 December 1934 in Ashgrove, Brisbane, Australia. He was the only child of Ambrose Stanley Varley, also known as ‘Dick’, and his wife Helen née Campbell. Although he was sent to boarding school from the age of seven he looked back on his school years at Scots

Peter James Witherow was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Bristol Children’s Hospital, Bristol Royal Infirmary and Winford Orthopaedic Hospital. He was born in Birmingham in 1935, the son of James Witherow, a doctor, and Greta Eileen Witherow née Roberts. He was educated at Epsom College and

Geoffrey Ingram was a consultant surgeon at Hope Hospital, Salford (later Salford Royal Hospitals). He was born in Chadderton near Oldham on 19 March 1936, to George Ingram and Elsie Ingram née Oakes. He went to school at Oldham Hulme Grammar School, subsequently gaining entry to Manchester Universi

Hugoe Matthews was an eminent thoracic surgeon who was an expert on the diseases of the oesophagus; he was also an authority on the Victorian nature writer and mystic Richard Jefferies. He was educated at Sutton County Grammar School where, even as a teenager, he knew he wanted to be a surgeon. He q

David Lightowler was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in Billericay and Basildon, Essex. He was born in Horsforth, Leeds, on 30 January 1936, the son of Charles Lightowler, a company director, and Isabel Mary Lightowler née Buttle, and obtained a scholarship to Giggleswick School, where he excelled

Michael Kevin Murphy was educated at Christian Brothers' College, Cork; Downside School; and the London Hospital Medical College. He graduated in medicine in 1960. After internship and surgical house posts he obtained the Diploma in Anaesthetics and went briefly into anaesthetics, but soon returned

Paul Cassell was a consultant general surgeon at Wexham Park Hospital, Slough. He was appointed in 1972 and retired in 1998; his time there can be seen in retrospect as coinciding with the heyday of the district general hospital and certainly of Wexham Park Hospital. Paul was born in south London