Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: A mụrụ Francis Howard Bickerton na Iffley, Oxfordshire, na 15 Jenụwarị 1889, nwa Joseph Jones Bickerton (1839<unk>1894), onye ndụmọdụ na onye odeakwụkwọ obodo nke Oxford, na nwunye ya nke abụọ Eliza Frances Fox (1849<unk>1896). Mgbe nne na nna ya abụọ nwụsịrị n'oge, Bickerton na nwanne ya nwanyị, Dorothea, ghọrọ ndị nlekọta nke nwanne nna ha, onye ọkà n'akparamàgwà mmadụ Dr Edward Lawrence Fox (1859<unk>1938), bi na 9 Osborne Place na Plymouth, Devon. Bickerton nwetara agụmakwụkwọ mbụ ya n'aka Joseph John Cross na Newton Abbot Hall tupu ọ gaa Marlborough College, ebe ọ banyere site na 1901 ruo 1904. N'afọ 1906, ọ debara aha na City & Guilds (Technical) College nke London ebe ọ ghọrọ otu n'ime ụmụ akwụkwọ mbụ nke kọleji iji mụọ injinia ụgbọ elu. Onweghi ihe edere banyere Bickerton mgbe ọ gụsịrị akwụkwọ n'ụzọ iwu, mana ihe dịka n'afọ 1910, ọ gara rụọ ọrụ n'otu n'ime ụlọ ọrụ igwe na Bedford na, mgbe ọ bi n'obodo ahụ, ọ zutere ma bụrụ enyi na onye nyocha Antarctic Aeneas Mackintosh (onye agha nke Shackleton's
Njem Njem "Nimrod". Na March 1911, ha abụọ gawara ịchọ akụ̀ dị oké ọnụ ahịa n'Agwaetiti Cocos, ma ha ji aka nkịtị lọta mgbe ọnwa atọ gasịrị.