Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Mwanakomana womufundisi anobva kuLincolnshire Wolds, Garvey akagamuchirwa pachikoro chekorasi kuTrent College (Long Eaton) kwaakadzidza kubva muna 1916 kusvika muna 1923. Akabva apinda Emmanuel College paUniversity of Cambridge, uko kwaakaverenga nhoroondo uye akapedza B.A. mune anthropology, achigadzirira kutora bvunzo dzevashandi vehurumende, achitarisira kujoina Indian Civil Service. Akabatanidzwa mukuputsa
1926 General Strike, uye haana kuwana nguva yokudzidza nokuda kweiyi bvunzo, uye panzvimbo pezvo akakumbira nzvimbo muColonial Service. Akagamuchira nzvimbo muSolomon Islands Protectorate, uye akafamba nechikepe kubva kuSouthampton kuenda kuFiji muna November 1926.