Quick Facts
Biography
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). During his career he was associated with the design of over 670 buildings. Many of his designs are heritage listed and two are on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.
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, New South Wales. Harry Kent was educated at Camden Collegeand the University of Sydney where he graduated with a Master of Arts in 1875. Before his graduation Kent was articled to James Barnet, the New South Wales Colonial Architect, and in 1873 to John Horbury Hunt.
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
Kent was for many years a resident of Strathfield, New South Wales, and designed a number of buildings in the district. These include:
- Mount Royal, Albert Road, 1887, now the Australian Catholic University;
- Agincourt, Albert Road, 1890, now Jesmond Nursing Home
- Institute for Blind Women, Albert Road, 1891, now the Catholic Institute of Sydney;
- Inglenook Margaret Street, 1893 (demolished);
- Swanton Victoria Street, 1914 (demolished);
- Alterations to Strathfield Council Chambers, Homebush Road, 1913;
- First floor extensions to Strathfield Council Chambers, Homebush Road, 1921–23;
- Strathfield Town Hall, Redmyre Road, 1923;
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 Rd and Florence St. Around 1916, Kent moved across the road to 86 Redmyre Road, and called the new house Kelmswood. Kent’s original house is now called Woodstock and has been converted to apartments.
Family
In 1886, Kent married Mary Louisa Elbury Jefferies, the daughter of the Reverend James Jefferies of the Pitt Street Congregational Church. They had two daughters, Gladys and Louise, and a son, Geoffrey.
Architecture
Early work
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 International Exhibition of 1879. He went into private practice in 1882 and his first commission was the design of Eldon Chambers in Pitt Street, Sydney, for Josiah Mullens.
In 1886, Kent designed Caerleon in Bellevue Hill, New South Wales 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.
In 1890, Kent designed the main school building at the Presbyterian Ladies College, Sydney. An important early residential design was Lincluden at 12 Fairfax Road, Bellevue Hill, New South Wales, for Sir Thomas Anderson Stuart. The home was constructed 1896-97 and is heritage-listed. 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.
Kent & 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:
- New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company Limited, wool store, 330 Wattle Street and 89 Jones Street, Ultimo, 1906;
- Emu Creek, Emu Creek Road, Walcha, 1908;
- Kent House, Liverpool Street, Sydney (1912), now heritage-listed.
- Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children at Camperdown (with Stuart Bros of Annandale)
Kent Budden & Greenwell
In 1913, Henry 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. Buildings by Kent Budden & Greenwell include:
- Griffith Teas, Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills in 1915.
Kent & 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, later Woolworths Limited, in George Street, Sydney. Another of their buildings was Pilgrim House, in Pitt Street (1928). It is heritage-listed.
Principal client for Kent and Massie was the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, now NAB. Kent & Massie designed the former CBC head office on corner of George & Barrack Street Sydney, now heritage-listed, and a series of country banks at Newcastleand Cessnock.