Son of Captain Hugh Cumming, who held the office of Sword-bearer of Exeter. Educated at the Grammar School, he became a pupil of Samuel Barnes (qv). He began his training at the Devon and Exeter Hospital and finished it at St Bartholomew's Hospital. He was elected Surgeon to the Devon and Exeter Hospital in 1865, and resigned on Aug 11th, 1880. He lived at first in Bamfylde Street and afterwards in Southernhay, where he soon built up a practice amongst the highest in social rank and the most wealthy round Exeter. His practice was the more successful because, as he said himself, "it was certainly due to leaving a great deal to nature and not prescribing too much medicine." He was Surgeon to the Corporation of the Poor and the Dispensary, Medical Officer to the Exeter Incorporation, Consulting Surgeon to St Thomas's Hospital for Lunatics and to St John's Hospital. He acted also as Consulting Surgeon to the Dawlish Dispensary and to Wonford House Asylum. He took a partner in 1888 and did not finally retire until 1898, when his former patients made him a handsome testimonial, which took the form of a purse of money. He was the father of fourteen children, some of whom predeceased him. He retired to Morton Road, Exmouth, where he died on April 20th, 1901. He is described as a man of height and of a fine presence, of an equable temper, and a fine sportsman both with gun and with rod and line. In his early days he was very fond of practising Wood's operation for the radical cure of hernia, in which he was successful.