Amelia Blyth, his mother's sister, and later by other family members. Amelia, a Chamberlayne by birth, had married a brother of Herbert's father and was a Blyth by marriage.

Herbert was sent back to England for education at Harrow School, and studied law at Oxford University, where he was captain of his class football team in 1868. Herbert also became enamored of the sport of boxing.