Charles Leslie Cram (always known as just Leslie) was born in Vancouver, Canada, on 18th May 1942. His parents were Methodist missionaries to China, where he himself spent part of his childhood. He was educated at Kingswood School, Bath, and went on to study archaeology and anthropology at Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he specialised in the Old Stone Age with a particular interest in the analysis of animal bones, stone tools and footprints.

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After a period of employment at the British Museum, he was appointed Principal Curator for the museum service of Reading Borough Council, where he had care of the special collections relating to Thames Valley hand axes, Mesolithic Thatcham, Roman Silchester and the ruined remains of Reading abbey. While in this post he was involved in archaeology and planning, records of sites and monuments, rescue archaeology, and excavation units. He also arranged lectures and excursions, working with the Berkshire Archaeological Society and Reading University Continuing Education Department.