Born at Foxton, Leicestershire on 26 March 1878 he trained at Guy's Hospital, qualifying in 1903 with the Conjoint Diploma and graduating at the University of London. He took the Fellowship in 1904 and the MD in 1905. After house appointments at Guy's he was in general practice first at Southport and then at Shrewsbury. He moved to Leicester in 1910, practised for many years at 169 London Road, and was surgeon to the City Police for more than thirty years. In this office he soon noticed the danger caused by car drivers who were under the influence of alcohol. He wrote several papers in medical journals and public newspapers on the need for control. He also lobbied members of both Houses of Parliament, and had the satisfaction of finding his opinion vindicated when legal controls were imposed towards the end of his long life. During the first world war he served the 5th Northern Hospital at Leicester as an Army surgeon. He was chairman of the Leicester and Rutland division of the British Medical Association in 1929-30, and President of the Leicester Medical Society. He had many interests outside his profession, and had been President of the Literary and Philosophical Society and the Rotary Club at Leicester. He was active in the Leicestershire Archaeological society, and a staunch advocate of preserving his native countryside. He was also a supporter of the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund. Spriggs visited the College from time to time throughout his career, maintaining his interest in the Library and the Museum. He died at 16 Meadowcourt Road, Leicester on 12 January 1967 aged eighty-eight, survived by his wife and three of their four sons; the other son had been killed on active service during the second world war.