Henry Booth was born in Ashton-under-Lyne, then outside Manchester. His father, George Booth, was a book-keeper. He married Ellen Copeland in Rochdale in 1838, and was then working as a labourer.

By 1871 Booth was a partner in the Daisyfield Colliery prior to setting up his business of boilermaking with Joseph Adamson in 1874.

According to census data, Booth had five children: Charles Albert Booth, a Bookkeeper; Joseph Peter Booth, a Pattern Maker; Catherine Maine Booth, a Domestic Servant, Mary E. Splatt and Elizabeth Booth. He retired to Southport, Lancashire in 1887, where he died twelve years later.