 William Chamberlen, the patriarch of the family, was most likely a surgeon; he had two sons, both named Pierre, who became maverick surgeons and specialists in midwifery.William and the eldest son practiced in Southampton and then settled in London.The inventor was probably the eldest Peter Chamberlen the elder, who became obstetrician-surgeon of Queen Henriette, wife of King Charles I of England and daughter of Henry IV, King of France.