Born in Lincoln, he was educated at Neuheim College, Heidelberg, Felsted School and the London Hospital where, after qualifying in 1904, he acted as house surgeon, house physician, aural house surgeon and receiving room officer. After being admitted a Fellow in 1909, he returned to Lincoln to practise and in 1913 was appointed ear nose and throat surgeon to Lincoln County Hospital. On the outbreak of war in 1914 he was mobilised with the 4th Northern General Hospital and in 1916 proceeded overseas to Egypt and Palestine. In March 1919 he returned to Lincoln having been mentioned in Allenby's dispatches for gallantry. He retired from the hospital in 1945 following a severe operation from which he had made a good recovery. His colleagues made him a presentation of a silver salver as a token of their regard for a true and faithful colleague whose work was of a very high standard. For many years he was secretary of the Lincolnshire Medical Benevolent Society. He died on 6 November 1959 aged 79 survived by his sister Miss Zara Rainforth, with whom he had lived all his professional life.