Earlier life of David Beckham

Beckham was born at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone, London, England.  He is the son of Sandra Georgina (nee West; b. 1949), a hairdresser, and David Edward Alan "Ted" Beckham (b. Edmonton, London, July-September 1948), a kitchen fitter, who married at the London Borough of Heckney in 1969.  He regularly played football in Ridgeway Park, Chingford, as a child, and attended Chase Lane Primary School and Chingford Foundation School.

In a 2007 interview, Beckham said that, "At school, whenever  the teachers asked, "What do you want to do when you're older?" I'd say, "I want to be a footballer."  And they'd say, "No, what do you really want to do, for a job?" But that was the only thing I ever wanted to do."  Beckham's maternal grandfather was Jewish, and Beckham has referred to himself as "half Jewish" and wrote in his autobiography, "I've probably had more contact with Judaism than with any other religion."  In his book, Both Feet on the Ground, he stated that growing up he attended church every week with his parents and his older sister, Lynne Georgina and younger sister, Joanne Louise.