Arthur George Leigh was born on 22 March 1909 in Liverpool, the son of John McWhan Leigh. He was educated at Liverpool Collegiate School and Liverpool University Medical School. He qualified in 1933 and was appointed house surgeon and house physician at the Liverpool Royal Infirmary. He then underto

David Waldron Smithers was born on 17 January 1908 in Knockholt, Kent, the home of his father Sir Waldron Smithers JP, stockbroker and staunchly Conservative MP, and of his grandfather Sir Alfred Smithers MP, chairman of the Canadian Grand Trunk Railway. A knighthood was clearly an obligatory achiev

John Spencer-Bernard was born on 26 May 1907 in Ootacamund, India, the elder son of Sir Charles and Lady Edith Spencer. His father was ICS Puisne Judge of High Court of Judicature, Madras, while his uncle A J Spencer was editor of the standard textbook *Landlord and tenant*. It was in 1955 in relati

George Qvist was born on 13 August 1910, in London, the third son of Emil Qvist, a bookseller, and his wife Emily. After education at Quintin School he entered University College, London, for his preclinical studies and was elected Bucknill Scholar at University College Hospital. He was awarded the

Philip Ghey was born of a Quaker background in Plymouth in 1909, and was educated at Kelly College in Tavistock, Devon, and St John's College, Cambridge. He completed his medical education at St Bartholomew's Hospital, where he qualified in 1933, but he had already passed his Primary FRCS as a third

Anthony Harold Charles was born on 14 May 1908, the second son of H.P. Charles. His early education was at Dulwich College after which he went to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, from 1927 to 1930. His sporting interests included rugby, cricket and boxing and he represented Cambridge Universit

Percival Ross Wheatley was born in Westbury, Wiltshire on 4 May 1909, the son of Reverend Percival Wheatley, a Congregational minister and Margaret, née Wallis, the daughter of a dental surgeon. He won a scholarship to St Dunstan's College, Catford, for his early education and later gained an open s

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

Eric John Smith was a consultant surgeon at the Royal Free Hospital, London. He was born on 31 March 1910 in Norwood, Surrey, the second son of Robert Percy and Edith Smith. His early life was overshadowed by the death from Hodgkin’s disease of his elder brother who had been a child prodigy, and Eri

Ian Robin was a distinguished London ear, nose and throat consultant. He was born at Woodford Green, Essex, on 22 May 1909, the son of Arthur Robin, a Scottish general practitioner, and Elizabeth Parker née Arnold, his American mother. He was educated at Merchiston Castle School, in Edinburgh, and a

Richard Sampson (Dick) Handley was born in London on 2 May 1909, the eldest son of William Sampson Handley and Muriel Rigby, the daughter of the Reverend Clayton Rigby. Dick's father was on the surgical staff of the Middlesex Hospital, a member of both the Council and Court of Examiners of the Colle

Stanley Browne was born on 8 December 1907, in New Cross, London, the second son of Arthur Browne, a civil servant, and of his wife Edith (née Lillywhite). The family originated in Norwich, and were connected with the foundation of English nonconformity. Early education was at Waller Road (New Cros