Bob Lamming was born in Hull on 6 December 1910, the son of Robert Sydney Lamming, a timber merchant's clerk, and Clara Gertrude Redfearn, a solicitor's daughter. He was educated at Bridlington School, Yorkshire, and Leeds University, where he won pre-clinical and clinical scholarships, and the Will

Charles John Gordon was born on 24 June 1910, in Angmering, Sussex. He came of a long line of clerical forbears, several of whom were bishops in Lincoln. His father was the Reverend George Gordon, who was Vicar of Angmering. His mother, Eileen Hutton, came of an army family. He was the only son and

John Coates was born in May 1911 and was educated at Keighley Grammar School and Leeds University. He had a distinguished academic career, graduating BSc with first-class honours in 1933 and qualifying three years later with honours. After various resident appointments at Leeds he became demonstr