Nathan was born on 8 April 1905 in Shoreditch, London to Polish parents Hyam, a cabinet maker, and Freda and he had six siblings. In 1921, Nathan, aged sixteen, worked as a fur nailer alongside his older brother Myer. In October 1932, he married Miriam Horncastle in Shoreditch, London. The 1939 Register states that they were living at 14 Cherbury Street, Shoreditch and Nathan was working as a builder’s labourer and Miriam was a factory cleaner.

Nathan died at 21 Thornby Road, Hackney and his cause of death was: (a) Exhaustion, (b) Pulmonary Tuberculosis.