 A great friend of his fellow countryman Charles Hallé Simon was a founding member of the Hallé Concerts Society and after Hallé's death in 1895 he was instrumental in bringing Hungarian born Hans Richter to lead the musical life of Manchester for 12 triumphant years.Dissatisfied with the options for educating his daughters to the same standard as his sons Simon, together with C. P. Scott, co-founded the school in the 1890s which became the celebrated Withington Girls' School.Also in 1890, Henry Simon left a note to his sons, urging them to acquire a sound technical education and to keep closely in touch with scientific developments throughout the world.