Born on 9 January 1856 in London (GRO), Nora was the daughter of Dr John Locking.  Nora Locking was the bridesmaid at the marriage of Mr and Mrs Stanhope FORBES in 1889, and that same year she exhibited work in the Newlyn studios.

Nora married fellow artist Alfred HARTLEY on 5 May 1896 in Hastings. Initially they lived in Dorset, but moved to St Ives in 1904 where they lived first at 4 Bellair Terrace, then at No 7.  She joined the Arts Club in 1906, sold A Flower Garden and Garden at NAG in 1908, and showed an oil and watercolour sketches at the 1911 and 1913 Show Days respectively; she joined STISA in 1927.   She also exhibited at the NAG Christmas Show in 1926 (no details).

For reasons connected with her husband's health, the couple moved to Llandrindod Wells in 1931. In 1938 she is recorded as living in Earl's Court. One of Nora's St Ives exhibits was a portrait of Ranee of Sarawak, who lived at Carbis Bay and attracted a circle of famous musical and literary figures, and was a keen supporter of STISA. Nora died, age 87, on 23 January 1943 in London (GRO).