Return to list of doctors                                         next doctor - Gordon Mathews

Arthur King

Between 1912 and 1916 Dr Arthur King was the doctor in Bow for the Crediton Union. At 49 years of age, he with his wife, Dora a nurse, and eight year old daughter had recently returned after working in South Africa for 15 years, first in Cape Colony, latterly in Orange River Colony. He bought Fair Park from Dr Haycroft’s widow in November 1912 for £1,000. 

Originally from King's Lynn in Norfolk, he had qualified in 1890 and worked at St Thomas Hospital before going abroad. Whilst at Bow he studied for the diploma in public health and was awarded an MD by Durham University in 1915. Both he and his wife helped set up the Devon Red Cross No 92 Voluntary Aid Detachment in Bow in 1913. They taught and examined villagers in First Aid.

During the First World War he was appointed Temporary Lieutenant and then Captain in the RAMC. During this time Dr Matthews ran the practice. Dr King was stationed at the Military Hospital Wareham when he sold Fair Park in 1919 to Dr Kelly. He spent the rest of his life in the Southampton area, where he died aged 86 in 1949.