Herbert Mills Birdwood was born at Belgaum, Bombay Presidency, on 29 May 1837, third son of Christopher Birdwood, Lieutenant-General of H.M.'s Bombay Army. Educated at Plymouth Grammar School, at Exeter and at Edinburgh, where he was Gold Medallist in Mathematics, he was admitted at Peterhouse on 14 October 1854 and proceeded B.A. (23rd Wrangler and 2nd class in Natural Sciences) on 1859, M.A. 1863, LL.M. 1879 and LL.D. 1890. Appointed Perne Fellow in 1858 in which year he entered the Bombay Civil Service, rising by successive steps to the poist of Puisne Judge of the High Court, Bombay (1885-92). He was a member of the Executive Council of the Governor of Bombay from 1892 to 1897. Admitted at Lincoln's Inn, 9 June 1877 and called to the Bar in 1889. Married in 1861 the eldest daughter of Surgeon Major G. H. Impey. For further details, including an extensive bibliography, see Thomas Alfred Walker, 'Admissions to Peterhouse of S. Peter's College in the University of Cambridge...1615 .... to 1911' (Cambridge, 1912) pp 509 and686-689.