Born 1881 at Worcester, the younger son of Tom Bates, MRCS 1868, and Alice Mary Davis, his wife. The elder son, Tom Bates, was also a Fellow. Mark Bates was educated at King's School, Worcester, and at St John's College, Oxford, where he took third-class honours in physiology in the final school of natural science 1903. He took his medical training at St Bartholomew's, where he served as house surgeon. He then returned to Worcester to join the family practice, was elected anaesthetist to the Royal Infirmary and became after the war surgical pathologist, surgeon (1922-32), and in due course consulting surgeon. During the war of 1914-18 both brothers volunteered for military service and their father came out of his retirement to undertake their hospital work; he died in 1916. Mark Bates served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force as surgical specialist at No 15 General Hospital, Alexandria, and later as senior medical officer, Haifa area, with the rank of captain, acting major, RAMC. He was created OBE for his war service. After the war he returned to Worcester. He served as surgeon to the Worcestershire Constabulary and as medical officer in charge of the Worcester venereal disease clinic from 1932, and medical officer to the Beresford Court catholic mental welfare centre. During the second world war he was surgeon to the Powick war emergency hospital. He was also Admiralty surgeon and agent at Worcester. Bates married in 1923 Phoebe Baker, who survived him with two daughters, Lois and Hilary. He died at 33 The Tything, Worcester, on 25 January 1947, aged 66; the funeral service was held in the cathedral.