Kammala jumla mai zuwa: An haifi Tarmey a Ardwick, Manchester, Lancashire. Ba da daɗewa ba bayan haihuwarsa, ya koma tare da danginsa don zama a Bradford, Manchester, inda kuma ya sami ilimi. Bayan mutuwar mahaifinsa William a 1944 yayin da yake tuka motar asibiti a asibitin
Yaƙin Arnhem a lokacin Yaƙin Duniya na Biyu, mahaifiyarsa Lilian ta sake yin aure, ga Robert Cleworth. Tarmey ya halarci Makarantar Tunawa da Bradford da Makarantar Queens Street (wanda ya zama Makarantar Makarantar Sakandare ta Philips Park). Bayan ya bar makaranta, ya zama mai koyon aiki ga mahaifinsa, wanda ya kasance mai shimfiɗa asphalt ta hanyar sana'a. Ya kuma yi aiki a masana'antar gini na shekaru da yawa.