Henry Harvey Dare was born at Goulburn, New South Wales, on the 25th August 1867. He was educated at Burwood Public School and Sydney Grammar School.[64] He graduated from the University of Sydney in 1888 and took a master's degree from the same institution in 1894, winning gold medals each occasion, the first to obtain this double distinction.[65]

After a short period at the Sydney Observatory, he was appointed to the drawing office of the Roads and Bridges Branch of the Public Works Department in 1888 and from 1891 to 1893 worked as a Bridge Computer, checking calculations and specifications in bridge designs and tenders, including the early concepts for the Sydney Harbour Bridge.[66] Dare was placed in charge of the Department’s Engineering Drawing Office when the separate branch offices were amalgamated.[67]

At this time Dare, already under great strain from overwork, received the personal blow of the death of Constance, his wife, and he was left with their young daughter Marion.[68] Dare was, by nature, a quiet man. He was now more withdrawn and became ill.[69] However, on his return he was reinstated and remained in charge of the office until his transfer to the Water Conservation and Irrigation branch in 1911.[70] He was placed in charge of the design of irrigation and drainage works, and was later Senior Commissioner of the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission.[71] After retiring from the Public Works Department in 1934, he acted as Consulting Engineer in connection with numerous important works throughout Australia and New Zealand.[72]

Dare was prominent in professional bodies, giving numerous technical papers, he was the NSW representative in Australia on the Home Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, and was a member of the first council of the Institution of Engineers, Australia. He was awarded the Telford Premium twice, as well as the Peter Nicol Russell Medal (which is the Institution of Engineers, Australia’s most prestigious award) in 1930.[73] He also has a town, Dareton on the Murray River in far west New South Wales, named after him.[74]

He retired in May 1935 after 47 years in public service. Following his retirement he worked as a consulting engineer primarily on Somerset Dam on the Stanley River in Queensland.

In 1941 he prepared an autobiography called “Tales of a Grandfather 1867-1941” for his granddaughter Valerie. Wistful in tone it records his love of the theatre, his career highlights, hopes and aspirations. He was grateful that, at least, he: had received recognition from those better able to judge my professional qualifications. I refer first to the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, who had done me the great honour of appointing me for two years as the representative for Australia on their Council; and had awarded me two Telford Premiums for Papers contributed; and secondly to the Institution of Engineers, Australia, who had awarded me the Peter Nicol Russell Medal which is given for “a notable contribution to the Science and Practice of Engineering (in 1930)”.

He died at his home in Roseville on 20th August 1949 aged 82 and was privately cremated. Given his absence from the public service for 14 years, no gatherings of Department heads are recorded at his funeral though several detailed obituaries were printed. One held that:

Mr Dare was of a retiring disposition and was held in high respect and esteem by all who knew him, especially by the staff who came under his control… His death terminates the career of one of Australia’s outstanding civil engineers.

In accordance with the terms of his will the “Harvey Dare Scholarship in Hydrodynamics and Hydraulic Engineering” was established at the School of Civil and Mining Engineering, Sydney University and has been running since 1949.

References

[64]Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser, Friday 4 January 1935, p 6.

[65]Don Fraser, Plaquing Nomination for the McFarlane Bridge, Maclean, NSW, August 2005, p 27.

[66]Building: the magazine for the architect, builder, property owner and merchant, V49 #295, Mar 12, 1932.

[67]Coltheart & Fraser, Landmarks in Public Works, Engineers and Their Works in New South Wales 1884-1914, Sydney: Hale & Ironmonger Pty Ltd 1987, p 62.

[68]The Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 16 November 1895, p 1037 (marriage of Henry Harvey Dare to Constance Mary Tindale); The Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 23 April 1898, Family Notices p 1 (birth of daughter); The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 29 June 1904, p 16 (death of Mrs H.H. Dare)

[69]Richard Raxworthy, The Unreasonable Man, Sydney: Hale and Iremonger, p38.

[70]Coltheart & Fraser, Landmarks in Public Works, 1987, p 62.

[71]Michael A. B. Deakin, “Henry Harvey Dare and the NSW Cardiods”, Australian Mathematical Society Gazette, Volume 22, no 5, 1995.

[72]Obit. Henry Harvey Dare, Journal of the Institution of Civil Engineers (London), V34 I5, Mar 1950, p 103.

[73]“Engineer Honoured”, Sydney Morning Herald, Friday 10 July 1931, p 12.

[74]Wentworth Shire Council, Town Histories, http://www.wentworth.nsw.gov.au/dareton.aspx (26/09/2017).