Henry George Hoyland was born in January 1895 in Sheffield and was brought up at on Infirmary Road, opposite Sheffield General Infirmary. His parents were George and Rosa Hoyland, and his father ran a hairdressing business from the family home.
After studying in Sheffield, London and Paris, he returned to Sheffield to teach at the Sheffield School of Art from 1921 to 1929, as well exhibiting as an artist. In 1930 he moved to London with his family to continue his career as a painter. By the age of 16, Hoyland was studying to be an artist.
At this time he was living on Crooksmoor Road.
In March 1916 he enlisted for military service, and was called up on 14 August 1917. When Hoyland was called up, he was recorded as living on Western Bank, Sheffield, and was working as a laboratory assistant.
He had initially wished to serve with the Royal Flying Corporation, but ended up serving as a private in the 5th Rifle Brigade, London Regiment (Regimental Number 34935). He was posted to France in March 1918, and would eventually be discharged from the Army for being "no longer physically fit for War Service".
As well as portrait and figure paintings, Hoyland also painted flowers and landscapes, and experimented with wood cuts.
In October 1931, Hoyland was quoted as saying that he believed the reason why there were so many schools of art at the time, was because it reflected the uncertainty and perplexity of the present age. He felt it would be a generation before artists could reach some measure of agreement as to what constitutes a good picture, but currently in a period of transition and change. He exhibited work at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, the New English Art Club, the Royal Academy, the Royal Cambrian Academy, the Royal Scottish Academy, Royal Society of British Artists, Sheffield Society of Artists, Mappin Art Gallery in Sheffield, and the English Wood Engraving Society.
Hoyland was a member of the Royal Society of British Artists, a member of the Society of Graphic Artists, and a member of the Sheffield Society of Artists.
