He was educated at his father's school, St. George's House, Everton and later at Zürich Polytechnic.

In 1861 he was employed by John Hutchinson in his chemical business in Widnes, Lancashire[1] where he became chief chemist.

Partly because he could speak good German, he became a friend of Ludwig Mond when the latter came to work in the company in 1862.

[3] It is likely that Henry persuaded Hutchinson to take up Mond's sulphur recovery process.

[5] They lived in Cliff House, Appleton, Widnes and later moved to Holly Mount, Huyton, where Henry died in 1916.