Background
Fell was born at Nelson on 17 January 1878, the son of Nelson Mayor and painter, Charles Fellow
military physician rugby union player
Fell was born at Nelson on 17 January 1878, the son of Nelson Mayor and painter, Charles Fellow
He was educated at Nelson College (1887–1896), a school his grandfather, Alfred Fell, helped found in 1856.
Fell was also a keen yachtsman, a passion developed in his youth at Nelson. Fell died at his home at Church Street North, Colchester on 19 April 1953 aged 75. Fell was a noted sportsperson, playing in his college"s 1st 11 and 1st 15 (1894–1896).
Fell was a player (1898–1905), secretary (1900–1901), and captain (1901–1903) of the Edinburgh University Rugby Football Club, which he is credited with building up to one of the best sides in the history of the game.
As captain, his team"s first season record read 15 wins, one draw, 425 points for and 6 against. He had previously played in New Zealand for Otago University (1896–1897), and represented Nelson in 1896 and Otago in 1897.
Fell played for Edinburgh City against Glasgow in 1899, Cities against the rest of Scotland 1900. In 1901 he was selected for the Scottish national team as a wing three-quarters.
Although picked to play, injuries in 1904 and 1905 prevented him playing in the tournament of those years.
Fell was also selected to play against New Zealand in 1905, but declined as this was his home country. Commentators from the time noted that he was a fast runner and good on attack, but lacked defensive ability. His interest in rugby continued after he retired as a player, being one of the founders and first President of the Colchester Football Rugby Club from 1925 to 1939 and again from 1946 to 1949.
The club was in recess over the war years.
He studied at Otago University and then Edinburgh University where he graduated Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 1902m proceeding to the Doctor of Medicine in 1906. He relinquihed this position in 1907 and settled in general practice at Colchester in 1907.
He was honorary secretary of the North-east Essex Division from 1915 to 1917 and again from 1920-1921. Honorary secretary of the Essex Branch from 1921 to 1924.
Chairman of the North-east Essex Division from 1927 to 1928, and President of the Essex Branch from 1930 to 1931.
From 1918 to 1919 he served as a temporary Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was based in Salonika, Macedonia. Bulgaria; Serbia; and the Caucasus.
In 1905 he became a member of the Royal College of Physicians and held house appointments at the Royal Infirmary, the City Fever Hospital and the Corstorphine Convalescent Hospital in Edinburgh. He became President of the Colchester Medical Society and was a member of the Essex Panel Committee and British Medical Association.