Philip Mawer was born in Kingston upon Hull in 1947. He was educated at Hull Grammar School and the University of Edinburghwhere he was president of the Students Representative Council. After graduation he joined the Civil Service, rising to become Principal Private Secretary to Douglas Hurd. He supported Lord Scarman in his investigation of the 1981 Brixton riot. Scarman later described him as "a brilliant man in handling questions of principle.