His father, Abel Hinds, was a member of a family who were amongst the earlier settlers and chief land proprietors of that island.

He was educated at Charterhouse School and The Queen's College, Oxford and obtained the Chancellor's prize for the Latin essay in 1818.

Henry Handley Norris at St John, Hackney before becoming principal of Codrington College Grammar School in Barbados (1822–23).

From 1831–33 he was Chaplain to Richard Whately, Archbishop of Dublin before being appointed Vicar of Yardley, Hertfordshire in 1835.

In 1843 he was appointed Prebendary of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and incumbent of the united parishes of Castleknock, Clonsilla, and Mulhuddart.