John Barnard Blaikley was born in Finchley on 21 September 1906. His father was a banker and Michael Faraday was his great grand-uncle. He was educated at Christ's College, Finchley, and Guy's Hospital, where he qualified in 1928, taking the FRCS in 1931, the MRCOG in 1933, and the FRCOG in 1944. Af

Keren Parkes was born on 18 December 1904 in Dulwich, the only daughter of Alexander Parkes, an accountant. She was educated at Streatham College for Girls, Somerville House, St Leonards-on-Sea and went on to King's College and King's College Hospital. At the age of twelve she decided that she wante

Currie was born on 16 June 1903 in Leeds, the third son of James Irvine Currie, wholesaler clothier, and Florence Emma, née Dixon. His uncle Hugh Currie, a surgeon in Johnannesburg, was at the relief of Ladysmith. An elder brother, Donald Currie, gained his FRCS in 1923. He was educated at Leeds Gra

David Michael Stern was born in Burton-on-Trent on 22 October 1903. His father was Arthur Landauer Stern, a chemist and brewer, his mother, Grace Madelein née Falck. He was educated at first at the Burton Grammar School, and then went with his younger brother to Clifton College, from which he won an