Harland was born at Kingston upon Hull, and learned the trade of printing.
He gained facility in shorthand, and a report in 1830 of a sermon by John Gooch Robberds led to his name being mentioned to John Edward Taylor, of the Manchester Guardian.
[1] Harland was head of the reporting staff of the Guardian until 1860, when he retired because of lameness.
[1] Harland edited 14 volumes for the Chetham Society in 13 years.
He wrote the history of Sawley Abbey, near Clitheroe, Yorkshire, and was revising Edward Baines's Lancashire at the time of his death.