Born into a family that valued education, it was no surprise when Edward P. Thompson (known as E.P. Thompson) turned to academia for his life's work.

He was born in Oxford, the son of Methodist missionaries. He had an older brother, William, who died as an officer during World War II. Thompson received his education at Dragon School, Oxford, and Kingswood School in Bath, England. Like his brother, he also fought in World War II. He served in a tank unit during the Italian campaign. After the war he resumed his studies at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University. It was there that he became fascinated with political systems, and where he joined the Communist Party. Shortly thereafter he formed a local group for those who shared his views. The group was called Communist Party Historians.

In 1952 the group began publishing the journal Past and Present, which became influential in academic and political circles. Some historians today consider the biography genre to be reserved for highly experienced historians, writing in their later career. However, Thompson's first major historical effort was a biography of William Morris. The biography's subtitle was From Romantic to Revolutionary, and was written as a way to demonstrate the early influence of Marxism in Britain. It was also Thompsons's way of redirecting a half-century's tradition of focusing on Morris' artwork rather than his politics.

Marxism was not fashionable in England, and so the first edition of the biography received scant notice. Subsequent editions did receive critical praise. Thompson did not remain a communist for much longer, however. Following Soviet Premier Nikita Khruchev's "Secret Speech," Thompson and his compatriots left the Communist Party in disgust. Despite his change of heart, Thompson continued to be regarded a "socialist humanist." He and others in his group decided to produce a new publication, titled, New Reasoner, which attempted to develop and offer a democratic socialist alternative to pure Marxism, such as what Leon Trotsky promoted. The journal proved to be highly influential and a powerful tool of what became known as the "New Left."

Thompson turned his attention to other endeavors at this time, particularly the writing of what would become his signature work. Entitled, The Making of the English Working Class, Thompson explored areas of history generally ignored by consensus historians. The nameless, faceless masses of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, particularly those who were employed in industries that were becoming obsolete, were the focus of his study. In this work, Thompson argued that class is not a structure; rather, it is a relationship, one that could and did change over time. He then pointed to the suggestion that studying class was a legitimate area of historical investigation.

Generations of historians, including those who explore issues of class, gender, race, and society, were and continue to be influenced by Thompson's work. Thompson's work is important for these reasons and others. Not only is it important in terms of research and synthesis, but it is also significant in historiographical terms and remains on college and graduate school reading lists and syllabi.

Though he spent a lifetime busy with historical and political endeavors, Thompson also enjoyed a full personal life. He married fellow historian Dorothy Towers in 1948. Towers was also a leftist and contributed much to the field of women's and gender studies. She was a Professor of History at the University of Birmingham. The couple had three children. Their youngest child, Kate Thompson, is a noted and award-winning children's writer.