Charles Stanley Moore (1919-2004) and his wife, Margaret May Moore (née Watts) (1920-1986) were born in London and worked in banks. Both were consientious objectors during the Second World War. In 1949 they moved to Rhodesia where Stanley worked in Barclays Bank in Salisbury until 1970. The Moores became Quakers in 1952 and while living in Rhodesia became active in the non-racial movement and in Christian organisations including the Salisbury Society of Friends, Christian Action Group, Prisoners Aid Society, Cold Comfort Farm and the Work Camp Association as well as belonging to African political parties: Stanley joined the Southern Rhodesian African National Congress in 1957 and Margaret was secretary of the Salisbury branch of the Zimbabwe African People's Union.

In 1970, due to the political situation in Rhodesia, the Moores moved to Botswana where Stanley became bursar of Swaneng Hill School, Serowe. Margaret taught bookkeping and commerce and later became school secretary. When the school was taken over by the government they moved in 1975 to the Madiba Educational Training Centre at Mahalapye where Stanley was central accountant and Margaret taught. They returned to Britain in 1978.