Thomas Davies King was born in 1819 in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England.

He was an engineer, optical and mathematical instruments maker, and author. He exhibited two achromatic microscopes and a photographic chamber at the 1855 Paris International Exhibition. He moved to Canada in 1858 and was employed for a few years as a meteorologist by the Grand Trunk Railway. He made a series of valuable experiments on the Victoria Bridge during its construction with instruments he invented and manufactured. His principal interests seem to have been in the fields of art and literature. He was a founding member of The Montreal Sketching Club. In literature his special concern was Shakespeare. He was an ardent collector of all works relating to Shakespeare and was one of the founders of the Montreal Shakespeare Club. In 1864, on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth, he secured the endowment of a Shakespeare Gold Medal at McGill University, given annually to the graduating student with the highest standing in English language and literature. The Montreal Shakespeare Club called him the "Father of Shakespearean study in Montreal." He was also an editor of The Daily News and The Spectator. Among the books and pamphlets King published, are "Bacon Versus Shakespeare: A Plea for the Defendant" (1875), "Meteorology and its Professors" (1872), and "Photographic Selections: With Descriptive Letter Press" (1863, co-written with Canadian photographer W. Notman). After his death in 1884, his splendid Shakespearean library was purchased by the Hon. Donald A. Smith and W.C. Macdonald, Esq. (better known as Lord Strathcona and Sir William Macdonald) and presented to McGill University library.

In 1844, he married Anna Reed (1822–1887). He died on November 8, 1884, in Montreal, Quebec.