Graham was born on 5 June 1881, won an Andrewes Entrance Scholarship to University College Hospital, and qualified with the Conjoint Diploma in 1905. After taking his university degrees in 1907, he specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology, and held resident posts at Soho Hospital for Women and West

Joseph Bernard Dawson was born at Solihull on 8 April 1883 and was educated at the King Edward VI School and the University of Birmingham Medical School. He took the Primary FRCS before starting clinical work and qualified with the Conjoint Diploma in 1905. Even in his student days he decided that h