Joseph Peacock was born in Brentford, London, on 22 October 1918, the only child (two sisters having died) of Henry James Peacock, general manager of the Great Western Railway, and of Florence Peacock, née Milton. After education at Reading School and Bristol Grammar School he entered Birmingham Uni

Roger Brearley was a consultant general surgeon at Whiston and St Helens hospitals, Merseyside. He was born in Liverpool on 24 April 1922, the son of Thomas Brearley, an oboist in the Liverpool Philharmonic and Hallé orchestras. His mother's maiden name was Duncalfe. His great grandfather, George Du