Murphy was educated at University College London, graduating in science and proceeding to the Master of Science degree in 1934, before qualifying with the Conjoint Diploma in 1935 and taking the London medical and surgical degrees in 1936. During the second world war he served as medical officer in

William Beattie was a consultant surgeon in Liverpool. He was born in Sheffield on 1 February 1911. He was the second child of James Martin Beattie, Professor of Bacteriology at the University of Liverpool and Margaret Crow née Kettle. He was educated at Fettes, from which he won an open exhibition

Joseph Mason qualified from St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1935 and received his training in surgery at Chesterfield Royal Hospital and Hull Royal Infirmary. He had a special interest in urology and was resident medical officer at St Paul's Hospital. He was consultant surgeon to Hull and East Riding H