He was the second son of William Fellowes of Shotesham Park, Norfolk and his wife Elizabeth.

He arrived at Venice in September of that year with Thomas Durrant, of Scottow, Member of Parliament for St Ives.

[4][5] Fellowes succeeded to the position of treasurer to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on his father's death in 1775, and held it to 1803.

The Fellowes family grew the estate over the years, using non-agricultural income to purchase land.

In the 1802 general election, he stood again and topped the poll in the two-member constituency, with the radical William Smith coming second, and Windham and Frere kept out.