He was educated at Elstree and Harrow School from 1876, where he developed an interest in classics, science and music (particularly in violin playing); however, he did not attend university.

[4] He was an expert on the art of chiromancy or palmistry, having read palms and analysed the handwriting of luminaries of the period, he wrote several books on the subject and in 1886 went on a lecture tour of the United States.

[4] He published a literal translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (1898) from the then earliest manuscript in the Bodleian Library, followed by other studies of various versions up to 1908.

[8] He joined the staff of the Directorate of Military Intelligence MI7b at the War Office in May 1918, where he dealt specifically with aerial propaganda.

[10][11] Heron-Allen also wrote on archaeology, Buddhist philosophy, the cultivation, gourmet appreciation of and culture of the asparagus, as well as a number of novels and short stories of science fiction and horror written under his pseudonym of "Christopher Blayre.