Pumfrey was born in the Stirchley district of Birmingham to Alfred, a carpenter and joiner, and his wife Sarah.
[3] He made his debut on 12 November 1892, in a 3–2 home win against Burton Swifts, and played in the test matches which deprived Small Heath of promotion to add to their Second Division title,[4] but after a few more games the following season, he left for Midland League club Gainsborough Trinity in 1894.
[5] In five seasons in the Football League, he played 121 games and captained the team.
[6][7] While a Gainsborough player Pumfrey started a joinery business in the town; he developed this into a large building contractors which was still in existence a hundred years later.
[3] He married Jennie Clarke in March 1900,[7] and died in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, in 1930 at the age of 57.