He was born in 1865 to Daniel Alfred Harrison, of Chase Hill, Enfield Town, and Mary Jane Hardcastle Burder in Islington, Middlesex.
[1][2] His father was the eldest son of Daniel Harrison J.P. of Enfield, and his mother daughter of Henry Hardcastle Burder, of Hatcham Park, Surrey.
[4] Harrison's father died while saving his son, in the collision of SS Cheerful with HMS Hecla off Cornwall, north of the Longships, which took place in 1885.
[10][11] Harrison's route to the Canadian West Arctic began at Quebec, from where he made his way to Edmonton, by rail and being joined by Darrell.
[14] Harrison's exploration was cut short when a family member became ill, and he left Canada in 1907.
[17] One review noted Harrison's thwarted plan to get to Banks Island on a whaler, travel west on sea ice, and explore new ground.