Winterbotham was the son of Lindsey Winterbotham, a banker, of Stroud and his wife Sarah Anne Selfe Page. He was educated at Amersham School, Buckinghamshire, and at University College, London, graduating with honours, BA in 1856, and LLB in 1859. He was a Hume Scholar in Jurisprudence in 1858, and a Hume Scholar in Political Economy and University Law Scholar in 1859. In 1860, he was elected Fellow of his college and called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn. He was in practice at the chancery bar and as a conveyancer.Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1870
