Born at Llechwyd Farm, Towyn on 27 September 1874, the second child of John Rowlands, farmer, and Elizabeth Pugh, his wife. His parents died when he was five years old and his upbringing was supervised by trustees and his elder brother, Richard Pugh Rowlands. He was educated at Dolgelly Grammar Scho

Born on 28 March 1879 son of Thomas Fairbank MD, MRCS a practitioner at Windsor, he was educated at Epsom College from which he gained an open scholarship to Charing Cross Hospital. He qualified in 1898 as a doctor and in 1899 as a dentist but, after a house surgeon's appointment at Charing Cross, h