William Henry Herbert Marten was born in Apperley Bridge, Yorkshire, England on 28 January 1856. He was articled to James Thomas Walford and T. Pollard of Walford & Pollard in London and Bradford, Yorkshire from 1872 to 1876 and remained with them as their assistant for a further year. He was also an assistant to (?) Ferguson in Carlisle.
Marten commenced practice as an independent architect in 1879 and was in partnership with his brother, John Ellis Marten (1857-1932) in Bradford. The partnership was dissolved in 1903.
He was elected a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (LRIBA) in 1911 and was a member of the Bradford Architects and Surveyors' Society. His address was given as 25 Cheapside, Bradford, Yorkshire in 1902; 7 Church Street, Ilkley, Yorkshire in 1911; 3, Cookridge Street, Leeds, "The Spa", Ilkley, Yorkshire; "Moor Cot", Ben Rhydding, Yorkshire in 1911 and 1914; 50, Cookridge Street, Leeds in 1923 and 1926; 76 Albion Street, Leeds, Yorkshire in 1930; and Moorcot, Moor Lane, Guisley, Yorkshire in 1945. He died in Wharfedale, Yorkshire on 16 November 1945
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001