Desmond Murree Fitzgerald Hoysted was born at Murree in the Panjab, his father, who later became Surgeon-General, Madras Presidency, Indian Army, being then stationed in India. Educated at Kugby School and the Royal Military Academy, he was appointed to the Royal Engineers, and promoted in 1894 Lieutenant in the 26th Field Company, R.E. He served in the Alexandria Garrison of the British Army of Occupation in Egypt, and it was during this long service in Egypt that he acquired a taste for Oriental subjects. In 1930, retiring form the army, he took up the post of Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, which he held for ten years until 1940.
John Duncan Martin Derrett was Professor of Oriental Laws at the University of London, from 1965 to 1982, and afterwards Emeritus Professor.
Derrett was educated at Emanuel School, London, Jesus College, Oxford and the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, before studying law at the Inns of Court School, London. He was called to the bar, Gray's Inn, in 1953. He is the author of a number of works on law and the history of systems of law, India, religion (particularly Christianity) and comparative religion. In his later life he was particularly interested in comparisons of Christianity with Buddhism. Derrett also translated works by others into English.