Edward Hitchcock ('Ted') was born in Wales at Rhymney, Monmouthshire, on 10 February 1929, the son of Edwin Robert Hitchcock and Martha Mary, née Roberts. The family soon moved to Staffordshire, where his father worked as a coal miner. Ted soon discovered Cannock Chase, which was to provide a steady

John Dawson was appointed consultant surgeon to King's College Hospital in 1965, at the early age of 32. The second son of Leslie Joseph Dawson and Mabel née Jayes, he was born in Leicester, and received his education at the Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys. He qualified MB BS with honours in patho

Ivan Johnston was professor of surgery at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and made major contributions to endocrine surgery. He was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 4 October 1929, the son of David Johnston, a company secretary, and Mary née Clarke, and was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institut