Arthur Capel Herbert Bell was born at Epsom, Surrey, on 18 September 1904. His father was John Herbert Bell, a solicitor who was the eldest son of Dr William Bell, general practitioner at Wallasey. The second son, and uncle of Arthur Bell, was William Blair Bell, first President of the College of Ob

Thomas Holmes Sellors, the only son of Dr Thomas Blanchard Sellors, a general practitioner and of Anne Oliver Sellors (née McSparron) was born on 7 April 1902, at Wandsworth. A few years later his father moved his practice to Southend-on-Sea and Tom, as he was always known, went to Alleyn Court Prep