Bonham-Carter was born in London, the son of the businessman and lawyer Henry Bonham Carter and his wife Sibella Charlotte (née Norman),[1] and was educated at Clifton College[2] and New College, Oxford, where he took second class honours in jurisprudence in 1892. While at Oxford Bonham-Carter played rugby union for the University team and won two sporting 'Blues' in 1890 and 1891. While still at Oxford he was selected to play for the England national team, in the 1891 Home Nations Championship, against Scotland.[3] This was his only international appearance, but he continued playing rugby after leaving university, joining Blackheath, before turning out for invitational tourists the Barbarians in 1892.