Harry Collings was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England on 18 July 1883 and was articled to James Petch in Scarborough, England from 1896 to 1901. He also attended Nottingham School of Art. He worked as an assistant to David Michael in Swansea, Wales in 1901-02; to Arthur Richard Calvert and William Richard Gleave (1868-1933) of Calvert & Gleave in Nottingham from 1902 to 1907; and to Thomas Ignatius McCarthy (1880-1951) in Coalville, Leicestershire from 1907.
Collings was elected a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (LRIBA) in 1911. He commenced practice as an architect in Coalville in c.1911 and about this time formed a partnership with McCarthy as McCarthy, Collins & Co. In 1923 McCarthy, Collins & Co. won a competition to design a War Memorial clock tower for Coalville.
Collings's address was given as Central Chambers, Coalville, Leicestershire in 1911; London Road, Coalville, Leicestershire in 1911 and 1923; 32 Forest Road, Coalville, Leicestershire in 1927 and 1930; and 187 Forest Road, Coalville, Leicestershire in 1935 and 1939. He died in Coalville, Leicestershire in on 31 December 1959.
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001