Christopher John Spivey was an orthopaedic surgeon at Southend Hospital from 1970 to 2000. Born on 3 March 1937, he studied medicine at London University and trained at the London Hospital graduating MB BS in 1960. That same year he passed the conjoint examination and proceeded to gain the fellowshi

John Hale was a consultant general and colorectal surgeon at Redhill in Surrey. He was born into a family of market gardeners in the Vale of Evesham, Worcestershire. He showed early academic promise and attended Prince Henry's Grammar School in Evesham, where he was head boy. He then gained a schola

Michael Kevin Murphy was educated at Christian Brothers' College, Cork; Downside School; and the London Hospital Medical College. He graduated in medicine in 1960. After internship and surgical house posts he obtained the Diploma in Anaesthetics and went briefly into anaesthetics, but soon returned

Paul Cassell was a consultant general surgeon at Wexham Park Hospital, Slough. He was appointed in 1972 and retired in 1998; his time there can be seen in retrospect as coinciding with the heyday of the district general hospital and certainly of Wexham Park Hospital. Paul was born in south London

Robert George Nighy Thomson, always known as Bob, was a urologist for Preston and Chorley hospitals. He was born in Northern Ireland on 23 May 1935. His father, Douglas Charles Thomson, was an electrical engineer; his mother, Margaret Elsie Thomson née Nighy, was a nurse. He grew up in Weybridge, wh

Ian Cast was a versatile and dedicated neurosurgeon. He was born in Gidea Park, Romford, Essex, the younger son of John David Cast, an executive officer with the Port of London Authority, and Doris Eliza Cast née Bones. Ian was educated at St Mary's High School, Romford, Gidea Park Preparatory Sc