Andrew Gaston Jessiman was a surgeon and hospital administrator at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston. He was also assistant professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. Born in London on 13 January 1949, he was the son of George Gaston Jessiman, a stockbroker on the London Stock Exchange, a

John Hayward was a pioneer, specialising in breast surgery before this was a recognised discipline. He was as much a scientist as a surgeon, bringing rigour to the investigation of the causes and treatment of breast cancer. The son of an architect, he was born on 26 April 1923 in Westcliff-on-Sea, E

Anthony Wynn Michael Carton Owen was a consultant surgeon at Wharfedale General Hospital, Otley. He was born on 8 April 1943 in Pinner, Middlesex, the first of seven children born to Annie and William Owen. His parents met and married in London. His mother, then Annie Daly, a Westmeath lady from Gar

Ann Elizabeth Johnson studied medicine at London University and graduated MB, BS in 1965. She passed the fellowship of the college in 1960. In 1965 she obtained the diploma in medical radiology technology from University College Hospital Medical School and, ten years later, became a fellow of the R

Robert Pope Melville was a consultant general and breast surgeon in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He was born at Wollongong, New South Wales on 23 May 1913. One of five children, his father, Hector Pope Melville, a school principal and advocate for education, encouraged his sons and daughters

Adele Francis was a breast cancer surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. She was born in Solihull on 19 March 1957. Her father ran a printing business in Birmingham. She spent much of her childhood in Solihull, growing up with her sister Lorna, with the family moving out to Lapworth, W

Robert Anthony Bowness Wood was an innovative consultant breast and general surgeon in Dundee. He was born in Horsforth, near Leeds on 12 April 1943. Both of his parents, John Fletcher Wood and Mabel Wood née Bowness, were pharmacists. He boarded at St Peter’s School in York and then studied medicin

Alan McKinna was a consultant surgeon at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London. He was born on 13 August 1932 in Nottinghamshire, the youngest son of two GPs, Eva McKinna née Young and Henry Drummond McKinna. His father died suddenly at the age of 40, leaving his mother to bring up her sons while she c

Jerry Gilmore was a consultant general surgeon at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, where he established the pioneering breast unit. He was born on 27 December 1941, a much-loved son of Owen Dermot Gilmore and Carmel Gilmore née Cantwell. His father was a respected and successful family doctor and

Ronald Geoffrey Kay was a caring, compassionate surgeon of considerable humility who set high standards of clinical excellence, demonstrating insight and respect for his patients. He was a trusted, respected and valued colleague sought out as a mentor and teacher by many New Zealand surgeons and tra

Sir Arnold Elton was born on 14 February 1920. He trained at University College Hospital and qualified MB, BS in 1943. After house jobs at Charing Cross Hospital (where he was Gosse research scholar), St Peter’s Hospital for Stone and University College Hospital, he passed the fellowship of the coll

John Tresadern was a consultant general surgeon with an interest in breast disease at Blackburn. He was born in Southport on 20 February 1947, the son of Florence Mary Tresadern née Rimmer and Christopher Charles Tresadern. He was educated at St Mary’s College, Crosby and then St Edmund Hall, Univer