Thomas Quiller-Couch was the fifth of six children born to the artist Jonathan COUCH and his second wife Jane Quiller. Like his father, he was born in Polperro and also pursued a career in medicine. Having trained at Guy's Hospital in London, he became a general practitioner in Bodmin.

Following in his father's footsteps, he developed an interest in the natural world and some artistic proficiency, and the pair worked together on a History of Polperro. The original manuscript of this publication is held by the Courtney Library.