He was the son of Francis Topham, LL.D. (d. 15 October 1770), Master of Faculties and judge of the Prerogative Court at York, whose feud with Dean Fountayne was lampooned by Laurence Sterne in The History of a Warm Watch Coat [REF].
Edward was educated at Eton College under Dr. John Foster (1731-1774), and remained there for eleven years.