Carolyn Steedman was born in 1947 and grew up in South London. She studied history at the University of Sussex and Newnham College, Cambridge from 1965-1972. After graduation she taught for a year before moving into educational research at the University of London. She lectured at the University of Warwick, becoming Senior Lecturer before returning to Newnham College to complete her doctorate. Back at Warwick, she became Professor of Social History, and later advanced to Director of their Centre for Study of Social History. She was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2011.