Archibald Henry Sayce was born in Bristol in 1845. He was privately tutored before attending Queen's College, Oxford, becoming a fellow in 1869. His interests were in Assyriology and he became a pioneer in its studies, publishing many articles and undertaking translations of cuneiform inscriptions. Sayce held a chair as Professor of Assyriology at the University of Oxford from 1891 to 1919.
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.
Gordon Hannington Luce was born in Gloucester. He graduated from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, with a degree in Classics. In 1912 Luce was appointed Lecturer in English Literature at Government College, Rangoon, later a constituent college of the University of Rangoon. There he developed a lasting friendship with the young Pali scholar, Pe Maung Tin, and married his sister, Ma Tee Tee. During the Japanese invasion in 1942 Luce and his wife escaped into India. He returned to Rangoon after the war and remained there until 1964, when, like other foreigners, he was forced to leave the country. His final fifteen years were spent on Jersey. He published widely on subjects relating to Burma.