Herbert was born on in 1889 in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire and baptised on 5th May of that year. He was the third son of Thomas Priest Maddams and Kate Elizabeth (nee Cowley) Maddams. Herbert was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell, Hertfordshire.
Albert was born in Ashwell in the first quarter of 1898, the second son of Edward and Kate (nee Farr) Mole of Ashwell End, Ashwell, Hertfordshire. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell