Born on 11 October 1866, the fourth child and third son of the Rev John Cholmeley, rector of Carleton Rode, Forncett, Norfolk, and Jane Eliza Fell, his wife. He was educated at Marlborough College and St Bartholomew's Hospital. After serving as senior assistant house surgeon at Huddersfield Infirmary, he settled in practice at Wolverhampton. Here he ultimately became consulting surgeon to the Royal Hospital and to the Hospital for Women, and visiting surgeon to New Cross Hospital. He was president of the Staffordshire branch of the British Medical Association in 1913-14. Cholmeley married in 1910 Caroline Turner, who died before him; there were no children. After retirement he lived for some years at Chideock, Dorset, and latterly at Tettenhall, Staffs. He died in the Royal Hospital, Wolverhampton, on 17 December 1949, aged 83, and was buried at Tettenhall.