Born at High Close, Earlsheaton, Dewsbury, Yorkshire, 8 December 1882, the sixth child and third son of Arthur Lee, blanket manufacturer, and Phoebe Ridgeway his wife. He was educated at Batley Grammar School and at Tettenhall College, before he matriculated from St John's College, Cambridge. He received his medical education at Guy's Hospital, where he acted as tutor, registrar, and chief clinical assistant in the ophthalmic department. He was also a clinical assistant at the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital, Moorfields. He settled at Leeds in 1913 and was appointed ophthalmic surgeon to the Public Dispensary, to the Leeds Blind Institution, and to the Jews' Home. On 1 April 1915 he received a commission as captain, RAMC (T), and was attached to the 1st West Riding division, serving later in a casualty clearing station in France, and being appointed an ophthalmic specialist. At the end of the war he returned to Leeds, and was elected ophthalmic surgeon to the General Infirmary and lecturer in ophthalmic surgery at the University, on the retirement of Secker Walker. He was also an ophthalmic referee under the Workmen's Compensation Act. He married on 12 February 1918 Mabel Ellis Allday, who survived him with two sons. He died suddenly whilst driving his motor car along Woodhouse Street, Leeds on 11 January 1933, and was buried at Lawnwood, Chapel Allerton. Lee was a first-rate Rugby football player, gaining his blue at Cambridge and his international cap. He also played for Blackheath and Kent. He was too a book collector and a good judge of etchings.