[2]: 1 He was educated at Whitgift School, and had at seventeen planned to enter Pembroke College, Cambridge, and study English and French literature.
Despite his English background, Sheridan believed it was necessary to design the course so it was relevant to the local culture, and in 1960 stated that "success has been achieved in introducing a syllabus adapted to Malayan needs".
[1]: 354 Alongside this was Sheridan's insistence that students learn the philosophical premises of the law, with a mandatory reading of legal theory and philosophy.
He began subscribing to a range of periodicals from around the world, and made use of local lawyers and experts to source materials for the library.
During this period, the college was facing high levels of debt and Sheridan was left to attempt to solve the issue by asking staff for short-term loans.
[6] On 1 June 1948, Sheridan married Margaret Helen Béghin: in 1984 they had a daughter (Linda Anne) and a son (Peter Louis).