Arthur Edward Morris was born on 16 November, 1879 to Edward Ellis Morris and Edith Sarah Catherine  (nee Higinbotham) at Melbourne Church of England Grammar School (MCEGS) where his father, Professor Morris, was Headmaster from 1875 until 1882. He had 3 sisters. His early years were spent both in Australia and England. His early schooling was completed at MCEGS, then he attended the Rugby school in England (1895-1898) where his father had been educated. In 1899 he commenced a distinguished career at Melbourne University, studying for his M.B B.S at Trinity College where in 1904 he became the 1st class Beaney Scholar in Surgery and the Caroline Kay Scholar in Anatomy. Whilst at university he was a Medical Tutor at Queens College and received a University blue for cricket in 1901. During his education Arthur was a cadet at MCEGS, and became a Sergeant in the Cadets at the Rugby School. In 1902 he joined the Army Medical Corps, enlisting in the reserves in 1908 - 1910.

After completing his medical degree Arthur established a medical practice in Collins Street, Melbourne. He married Julie Marguerita Chomley on 12th July, 1910 in Melbourne. In 1913 they moved from Collins Street to live at The Crib, 34 (now 18) Jolimont Terrace, Jolimont where they remained until 1916. On 8th November 1915, Arthur joined he A.A.M.C and as a Major attached to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital, embarked on the 16th November on the RMS Mongolia from Adelaide to the UK. He arrived in France on special duty on 20th December 1915, and on 14th January 115 was transferred to Egypt where he was attached to the Venereal Disease Hospital near Mustafa where he remained until September 1916. He returned to London from Alexamdria on the HMT Gloucester Castle, becoming attached to the Bulford Hospital until his return to Australia in August 1917.

Whilst at the Bulford Hospital Arthur, who was living with his wife Julia in Notting Hill Gate,London at the time, made a request to return to Australia to resume his medical practice. When medical reinforcements arrived, approval was granted in March 1917, however Arthur's request to stay to ensure new treatment huts in A Division were fully operational was agreed to. Rather than return separate to his wife on a troop carrier, Arthur offered to pay their own way back via the US where he was keen to pay a professional visit to Professor Young in Philadelphia, a specialist in Genito-Urinary surgery,  an area of medicine Arthur had been specialising in prior to enlisting in the war effort. He and his wife left London on 11 August 1917 on Megantic then sailed home from Vancouver on the SS Makura arriving on the 29th October, 1917.

On his return to Australia, Arthur re-established his medical practice in Collins Street, continuing to work until the early 1930s. Prior to his sudden death from pneumonia on 17th September, 1931, he had spent time in New Guinea on a health trip from which he gained short term benefits. He died at his home at 'Carnac' at Punt Hill, South Yarra, leaving a widow and son at Geelong Grammar School.