Henry Hayman was born on March 3, 1823, in London, England.

He was a Church of England clergyman and educationist. He graduated from St. John's College, Oxford (B.A., 1845; M.A., 1849; B.D., 1854, and M.D., 1870). In 1847, he was ordained deacon and priest in 1848. He was curate of St. Luke's, London (1848-1849), St. James’s, Westminster (1849-1851), and an assistant preacher at the Temple Church (1854-1857). In 1852, he became a schoolmaster at Charterhouse, and in 1855, he was elected headmaster of Cheltenham grammar school. In 1868, he was headmaster of Bradfield College where he introduced science teaching. From 1869 until 1874, he served as the headmaster of Rugby School. He became honorary canon of Carlisle in 1884, honorary secretary of the Tithe Owners' Union in 1891, secretary of King Alfred's League of Justice to Voluntary Schools in 1900, and he served as a proctor in convocation (1887-1890). He contributed several articles to the Edinburgh Review, translated from Greek and Latin, and also wrote for Smith's “Dictionary of the Bible” (1863-1893).

In 1855, he married Matilda Julia Westby (1830–1911). He died on July 11, 1904, in Aldingham, Lancashire, England.