Theodore Phillips Welch was born on 15 October 1932. He studied medicine at London University and University College Hospital Medical School, graduating MB, BS in 1958. He did house jobs at the Royal Northern Hospital in London and Barnet General Hospital before passing the fellowship of the college in 1964. He was appointed consultant in charge of the accident and emergency department at the Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow and also spent time as a lecturer in surgery at Chaingmai University in Northern Thailand. Eventually he became a supervisor in clinical anatomy to Queen’s and Sidney Sussex Colleges, Cambridge and a demonstrator in anatomy to the University of Cambridge. He died on 6 July 2019, aged 86.