Ashton Miller, always known as 'Jerry', was born in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, on 10 September 1908, the fourth child and only son of William Ashton Miller, a banker and brewery director, and Adeline Louisa, née Porter, a farmer's daughter. He was educated at Tonbridge School before going up to

Keith Yeates was born a Scotsman but lived almost all his life in Newcastle upon Tyne where he made a great name for himself in urology and a fine reputation for his department. His father William was the manager of a tobacco company in Glasgow and his mother was Winifred, née Scott. They lived in H