John Robert Fowles was born on March 31, 1926, in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, to Robert John Fowles and Gladys May, née Richards. He was the only son and elder child of the couple, with a sister, Hazel, born 15 years later.
Fowles's father, Robert, had trained as a lawyer but worked for the family business, tobacco importer Allen & Wright, after his father's death. His mother, Gladys, was the daughter of a draper and his wife, who gave her a comfortable upbringing in Chelsea before relocating to Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex.
Fowles was attended by his mother and his cousin Peggy Fowles, who was 18 years his senior, during his childhood. He attended Alleyn Court Preparatory School, where his maternal uncle and aunt were teachers.
In 1939, he won a place at Bedford School, where he remained a pupil until 1944. He became head boy and was an athletic standout, playing rugby football, fives, and cricket.
After leaving Bedford School, Fowles enrolled in a Naval Short Course at the University of Edinburgh and was prepared to receive a commission in the Royal Marines. He completed his training on May 8, 1945, and was then assigned to Okehampton Camp, Devon, for two years.
After completing his military service in 1947, Fowles entered New College, Oxford, where he studied French and German, although he stopped studying German and concentrated on French for his BA. During this time, he underwent a political transformation, abandoning his desire to become a part of the British Establishment and instead embracing anarchist ideals.
Fowles's literary career was marked by his novels, including The Magus, The French Lieutenant's Woman, The Ebony Tower, Daniel Martin, Mantissa, and A Maggot, which have been translated into many languages and adapted into films.
