Herbert ('Bert') Agar was born in Grimsby, Yorkshire, on 10 December 1907, the son of Herbert William Agar, a science teacher, and Catherine (née Agar, but no relation) who was the daughter of a joiner and shipyard worker. He was educated at Wintringham School, Grimsby, where he won a scholarship to

Doris Barbara Wallace (née Brown) was the daughter of Mr David G Brown, a draper in Harrogate. She went to school in Harrogate and proceeded to the University of Leeds where she qualified with the Conjoint Diploma and also graduated MB ChB in 1932. In her preliminary science course she obtained the