Edward Frederic Benson was born at Wellington College in Berkshire on 24th July 1867, the fifth child of the headmaster, Edward White Benson (later chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral, Bishop of Truro and Archbishop of Canterbury), and his wife born Mary Sidgwick ("Minnie").
E. F. Benson was the younger brother of Arthur Christopher Benson, who wrote the words to "Land of Hope and Glory", Robert Hugh Benson, author of several novels and Roman Catholic apologetic works, and Margaret Benson (Maggie), an author, artist and amateur Egyptologist. Two other siblings died young.
Edward was educated at Temple Grove School, then at Marlborough College, where he wrote some of his earliest. He continued his education at King's College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the Pitt Club and later in life he became an honorary fellow of Magdalene College.
He enlisted as a Private with the British Army in the Army Service Corps, with the service number M/317967. The Imperial War Museums' "Lives of the First World War" project confirms his military service record.
Edward F. Benson died on 29th February 1940 of throat cancer at University College Hospital, London. He was buried in the cemetery at Rye, East Sussex.
