Born at Exeter 18 August 1853, the fourth child of Arthur J Cumming, FRCS and his wife *née* Fowkes. He received his medical education at St Bartholomew's Hospital. He settled at Torquay as soon as he was qualified and practised there in partnership with James Usher Huxley MD until 1889, when he retired through ill-health. He remained in the town and was for many years chairman of the Rosehill Hospital, of the Queen Victoria Jubilee Nursing Institution, and of the Torquay branch of the Cripples Aid Society. At the commencement of the first world war he took charge of Mount Hospital, but resigned the position in 1916 when he was elected mayor of the borough of Torquay. He held the post of mayor for three years and in 1921 was complimented by being elected to the freedom of Torquay. He was especially interested in educational matters, and was vice-chairman of the Torquay secondary schools authority. He was also a member of the working lads' committee, and was at one time a director of a weekly paper in the town. He was also interested in the Torquay Natural History Society, of which he was a past president. He was a keen golfer and held the captaincy of the Walls Hill club for several years. Throughout his life he was an enthusiastic yachtsman and gardener. In early life he showed ability as an amateur actor. He married Lillie Bryans on 4 September 1884, who survived him but without children. He died on 3 April 1934 after a long illness.