Harry Kent (architect)

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Harry Kent – Architect
(1)Mount Royal (Australian Catholic University) Strathfield-1.jpg
Born1852
Died1938
Sydney, Australia
NationalityAustralian
OccupationArchitect
PracticeHarry C. Kent (1882–1899)
Kent & Budden (1899–1912)
Kent Budden & Greenwell (1912–19)
Kent & Massie (1919–1930)
BuildingsState Heritage Register:
Former CBC Bank (Cnr George & Barrack Streets Sydney) built between 1921–25
Extensions to Mariners Church in 1927 (98–100 George Street Sydney)

Harry Chambers Kent (1852–1938) was an English-born Australian architect. He was Sydney-based during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and a leader of his profession as President of the Institute of Architects of NSW (1906–07). [1] During his career he was associated with the design of over 670 buildings. [2] Many of his designs are heritage listed and two are on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.

Contents

Early life

Kent was born in Devonshire, England, the son of the Rev. Samuel Chambers Kent and his wife Emily Deacon. A year after his birth, the Kent family emigrated to Australia and the Reverend Kent was appointed Principal of the Camden College in Newtown, Sydney. Harry Kent was educated at Camden College [3] and the University of Sydney where he graduated with a Master of Arts in 1875. [4] Before his graduation Kent was articled to James Barnet, the New South Wales Colonial Architect, and in 1873 to John Horbury Hunt. [2]

Congregational Church

Kent and his extended family were all active Congregationalists at a time when that Christian denomination was very influential in the upper middle classes of Sydney society and business. Much of his firm's work came from the church and members of its parishes. Despite his father leaving the church in 1879 for the Anglican Church of Australia, Kent maintained a lifelong dedication to the Congregational church.

Strathfield

Strathfield Council Chambers with additions by Harry Kent StrathfieldMunicipalCouncilChambers..jpg
Strathfield Council Chambers with additions by Harry Kent
Kelmswood, Kent's home in Redmyre Road, Strathfield (1)Kelmswood Redmyre Road Strathfield.jpg
Kelmswood, Kent's home in Redmyre Road, Strathfield
Woodstock, Kent's other home in Redmyre Road, now converted to apartments (1)Woodstock Redmyre Road Stathfield-1.jpg
Woodstock, Kent's other home in Redmyre Road, now converted to apartments

Kent was for many years a resident of Strathfield, and designed a number of buildings in the district. These include:

Kent served as an Alderman on Strathfield Council from 1903 until 1905. He designed and built Kelmswood, at 88–94 Redmyre Road in 1893 as his private residence, on the corner of Redmyre Road and Florence Street. Around 1916, Kent moved across the road to 86 Redmyre Road, and called the new house Kelmswood. [8] Kent's original house is now called Woodstock and has been converted to apartments. [9]

Family

In 1886, Kent married Mary Louisa Elbury Jefferis, the daughter of the Reverend James Jefferis of the Pitt Street Congregational Church and Mary Louisa Elbury. They had two daughters, Gladys and Louise (Lulu), and a son, Geoffrey. [2] His brother-in-law Harry Jefferis was articled to him and went on the practice architecture in Western Australia. [10]

Architecture

Early work

Presbyterian Ladies' College, Croydon Croydon Shubra Hall PLC.JPG
Presbyterian Ladies' College, Croydon
Farmers and Graziers Warehouse, Ultimo (1)Farmers and Graziers Wattle St Ultimo Sydney-1a.jpg
Farmers and Graziers Warehouse, Ultimo
Griffiths Teas, Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills (1)Griffiths Teas building Sydney-2.jpg
Griffiths Teas, Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills
Bebarfalds, now Woolworths corner of George and Park streets, Sydney Woolworths Building, George Street, Sydney-1.jpg
Bebarfalds, now Woolworths corner of George and Park streets, Sydney

When Kent was unable to find employment after graduation from university, he sought advice from John Fairfax. With a recommendation from Fairfax, Kent managed to secure work with master builder John Young. During this time he worked on the construction of the Department of Lands Building, St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney and the Garden Palace that was built for the Sydney International Exhibition of 1879. He went into private practice in 1882 and his first commission was the design of Eldon Chambers in Pitt Street, for Josiah Mullens. [2]

In 1886, Kent designed Caerleon in Bellevue Hill for the Fairfax family, only to have it redesigned by Maurice B. Adams in the Queen Anne style (this made it the first Queen Anne home in Australia). Accepting the inevitable changes, Kent agreed to supervise the construction of his made-over design, but was then outraged when Adams exhibited the design in London as his own work. [11]

In 1890, Kent designed the main school building at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney. [12] An important early residential design was Lincluden at 12 Fairfax Road, Bellevue Hill, for Sir Thomas Anderson Stuart. The home was constructed 1896–97 and is heritage-listed. [13] In 1895, Kent designed his first major warehouse. The Farmers & Graziers No. 1 Woolstore building is a 3 & 4-storey Federation style warehouse constructed of face brickwork with sandstone detailing and timber windows and doors. It has in recent years been converted into residential apartments. [14]

Kent and Budden

In 1899, Kent entered into partnership with his former student, Henry Budden and the firm became known as Kent & Budden. Buildings of this partnership include:

Kent Budden & Greenwell

In 1913, Harry Kent and Henry Budden were joined in partnership by Carlyle Greenwell. Greenwell had served his articles with Kent & Budden and after attending Sydney Technical College and the University of Sydney he had completed a Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. The partnership of Kent Budden & Greenwell was dissolved in 1919, having produced 150 buildings. Budden and Greenwell continued to work in partnership until 1922. [2] Buildings by Kent Budden & Greenwell include:

Kent and Massie

Kent and H H Masie became partners in 1919 and practiced together until Kent's retirement in 1930. Massie was a member of an influential banking, commercial and sporting family. Kent & Massie secured many commercial commissions including Bebarfalds, [20] later Woolworths on the corner of George and Park streets, Sydney. [2] Another of their buildings was Pilgrim House, in Pitt Street (1928). It is heritage-listed. [18]

Principal client for Kent and Massie was the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney. Kent & Massie designed the former CBC head office on corner of George and Barrack Streets, Sydney, now heritage-listed, [21] and a series of country banks in Newcastle [22] and Cessnock. [23]

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References

  1. Freeland, J.M. The Making of a Profession, Angus & Robertson (Sydney, 1971) pp 92
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Harry Kent". Strathfield Heritage. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  3. Camden College: A Centenary History by John Garrett and L. W. Farr (Syd 1964)
  4. "Alumni Sidneienses". University of Sydney . Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  5. "Mount Royal". Strathfield Heritage. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  6. "Swanton". Strathfield Heritage. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 "Strathfield Council Chambers and Town Hall". Strathfield Heritage. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  8. "Find the name of your house in Strathfield". Strathfield Heritage. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  9. "Woodstock". Strathfield Heritage. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  10. Harry Jefferis Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  11. Edquist, Harriet Pioneers of Modernism – The Arts and Crafts movement in Australia, The Miegunyah Press, (Melbourne, 2008) pp 15
  12. State Heritage Register
  13. State Heritage Register
  14. Department of the Environment
  15. "An Up-To-Date Wool Store". Muswellbrook Chronicle, 8 September 1906, p4. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  16. Jones, Cathy, Strathfield Heritage https://strathfieldheritage.org/streetnames/redmyre-road-strathfield/cheyne-21-redmyre-road-strathfield/
  17. State Heritage Register
  18. 1 2 State Heritage Register
  19. 1930 'A Great Architect Retires.', Construction and Local Government Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1913 – 1930), 23 April, p. 17, viewed 16 March 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133476573
  20. Dictionary of Sydney
  21. State Heritage Register
  22. State Heritage Register
  23. State Heritage Register

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Harry Kent at Wikimedia Commons

Professional and academic associations
Preceded by
Cyril Blacket
President of the Institute of Architects of New South Wales
1906–1908
Succeeded by
Ernest Scott