Henry (Harry) Thomas Silcock was born in Bath in 1882. He was educated at Bath College, Fettes College (Edinburgh) and Oriel College (Oxford). He 1908 he travelled to China to work as a teacher with the Friends Foreign Mission Association. He married Margaret Standing in Chengtu in 1909 with whom he had five children. In 1911 he worked at the West China Union University, becoming Vice-President. He also became Secretary of the the Friends Foreign Mission Association in 1920, where he served until 1932, when he became Secretary of the Universities China Committee in London. It is during this time that he was also involved in the China Society. In 1938 he returned to China to both occupied Shanghai and "Free China", encouraging the formation of a Friends Centre in Shanghai in 1939. Through the 1940s he travelled extensively around the world for the Friends World Committee for Consultation. In 1947 he returned to Chengtu, China. Between 1950-1954 he continued to work for the Friends World Committee for Consultation. He was made an Honorary Member in 1961. Silcock died in 1969, aged 86.