John Pendlebury was born on 12 October 1904 and educated at Winchester and Pembroke College, Cambridge. After marrying a fellow student of the British School of Archaeology at Athens, Hilda White, in 1928, he joined the staff of the Egypt Excavation Society at Arment later the same year and was Director for seven years from 1930. He spent off seasons in Crete and was for a while Curator of Knossos. After the outbreak of war and enrolling in the Reserve of Officers, he was sent to Crete as Vice-Consul at Candia, becoming liaison officer with the Greek forces. He was wounded and killed during the invasion around 24 May 1941.