Henry James Wise was born in Rotherhithe, London, England on 24 February 1873 and was articled to Henry Adair Rawlins (1860-1937) in London from 1888 to 1891. He then went to the office of James Fasnacht (1847?-1927) and attended the Royal Academy Schools in London in 1892. Later that year he returned to Rawlins where he worked as his assistant.
After qualifying as an architect in 1894, he worked as an assistant to William Henry White (1838-1896) in 1896; to Robert Alexander Briggs (1858-1916) in 1897; and to William Henry Romaine-Walker (1854-1940) from 1898 to 1902. He commenced independent practice as an architect in London in 1903 and from c.1907 was in partnership with Guy Bernard Cobbett (1879-1965) as Wise & Cobbett.
Wise was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1895 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1914.
His address was given as 79 Mansfield Road, Gospel Park, London in 1895; 7 Great James' Street, Bow, London in 1907; Kingswood, Furze Hill Road, Boreham Wood, Elstree, Hertfordshire in 1911 and 1914; 64, South Molton Street, London in 1914 and 1926; 49 South Molton Street, London in 1930 and 1935; and Chubnalls, High Street, Newton Blossomville, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire in 1930 and 1939. He died in Stone, Buckinghamshire on 6 March 1940
Speedometer and Magneto Works and extensions, Watford, for Messrs. North and Sons, Ltd.; factory at Barnet for the Williamson Film Printing Co., Ltd.; additions to Newton Avenue Works, New Southgate Southgate; joinery works, Wandsworth; shops and business premises and development of building estates, in London and the provinces; branches (or International Stores (in conjunction with Guy B. Cobbett, Licentiate R.I.B.A.) at Haverhill, Witney, Stratford-on-Avon, Sheringham, Knapp Hill, Leiston, Cobbam, Weybrldge, Beaconsfield. Steyning, and Hoddesdon; Duntshill Bridge; extensions to Beach House. Frinton-on-Sea, and additions to Upperhill House, Colchester (both in conjunction with Homer and Son): Sawbridgeworth Urban Housing Scheme; houses at Watford, Walton-on-the- Hill, Warlingham, Westerham Hill, Hythe, Boreham Wood, and Barnet; restoration of Ivy Cottage and other work at Medmenham (in conjunction with Guy B. Cobbett).
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