Born in London 13 December 1858, son of Edward Dod Colville, a registrar of the Court of Chancery, and his wife, née Henderson. He was educated privately in Switzerland, and took his medical training at St Bartholomew's Hospital, where he served as house surgeon and assistant chloroformist. Colville practised at Ashford, Kent, and lived, after retiring, at 6 Earl's Avenue, Folkestone and subsequently at Woking, Surrey. He married in 1886 Miss Barling, who died before him. There were no children. Colville died on 15 June 1945, in a nursing home after a long illness, aged 86.