Henry Taylor Bovey was born in Devonshire, England, and was educated at Cambridge University. He became a civil engineer and worked for the Mersey Docks and Harbour Works. In 1877 he came to Montréal as Professor of civil engineering and applied mechanics at McGill University. The following year the Faculty of Applied Science was organized, with Bovey as its Dean. As well as teaching, he did consulting work in connection with bridge design and structure, as well as hydraulic engineering. In 1908 he resigned his post at McGill to become Rector of the Imperial College of Science and Technology, England, but retired in the following year.