John Pendlebury - Early Life

Early Life

John Pendlebury was born in London, the eldest son of Herbert S Pendlebury, a London surgeon, and Lilian D Devitt, a daughter of Thomas Devitt, part owner of Devitt and Moore, a shipping company. At the age of about two, he lost an eye in an accident of unknown nature while in the care of a friend of his parents, who were away for a few days. On their return conflicting reports of the accident were given. The eye could not be successfully treated. He used a prosthetic glass eye, which, it has been said by people who knew him, was generally mistaken for a real one. Throughout his life he remained determined to out-perform persons with two eyes. As a child he was taken to see Wallis Budge at the British Museum. During the conversation he apparently resolved to become an Egyptian archaeologist. Budge told him to study Classics before making up his mind. His mother died when he was 17, leaving him a legacy from his grandfather that made him financially independent. His father remarried, but had no further children. Pendlebury got along well with his stepmother and her son, Robin. He remained the centre of his father's affections, whom he called "daddy" in letters.

He was educated at Winchester (1918-1923), before winning scholarships at Pembroke College, Cambridge where he was awarded a Second in Part I and a First in Part II of the Classical Tripos, "with distinction in archaeology." Despite his disability, he also shone as a sportsman, with an athletics blue and competing internationally as a high jumper.