Born on 26 January 1913, White was educated at the Westminster City School and the London School of Economics. He graduated as a LLB with first class honours and in 1938 was called to the bar by the Middle Temple.[1] He was an assistant lecturer at the LSE until the Second World War started when he moved to the Ministry of Economic Warfare.[1] In 1942 he became the First Secretary at the British Embassy in Washington.[1]