Born on 8 July 1838, in London (GRO), Henry Edwin Tozer was the father of Henry Edward Spernon TOZER (1864-1955), Marianne Alice, and Eustace Arthur TOZER. Henry Edwin was the son of a tinplate worker and his stated profession on marriage to Louisa (nee Griffin) in 1861 at St Martin's-in-the-Fields was 'civil engineer'.

By 1888 the family had moved to Newlyn. At the time of the 1891 Census, he had an address in St Just, Cornwall. Bessie BOYNS was a pupil of his, and exhibited with him in St Just in 1892 and subsequently in Exeter. His friendship with her and her photographer sister Gertrude affected his marriage. On his daughter Marianne's marriage, Louisa moved to London with the newly-weds. Henry Edwin moved to Galmpton where he lived with Bessie and Gertrude. He and Bessie held a joint exhibition in Kingsbridge in 1912 and he died in Galmpton in 1913, aged 74. Upon their deaths (Gertrude in 1928 and Bessie in 1947) the sisters were buried beside him.

Henry Edwin Tozer exhibited Surf and Rocks at the Mouth of the Cove at the RA in 1892. Two works by him were shown at Birmingham between 1889 and 1892.