Lawrence Hargrave - His Life

His Life

Hargrave was born in Greenwich, England, the second son of John Fletcher Hargrave (later attorney-general of NSW) and was educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland. He immigrated to Australia with his family, arriving in Sydney on 5 November 1865 on the La Hogue. He circumnavigated Australia on the Ellesmere after being offered a place. Although he had shown ability in mathematics at his English school he failed the matriculation examination and in 1867 took on an engineering apprenticeship with the Australasian Steam Navigation Company in Sydney. He later on found the experience of great use in constructing his models.

In 1872, as an engineer, he went on a voyage to New Guinea but the Maria was wrecked, and in 1875 he again sailed as an engineer on William John Macleay's expedition to the Gulf of Papua. From October 1875 to January 1876 he was exploring the hinterland of Port Moresby under Octavius Stone, and in April 1876 went on another expedition under Luigi D'Albertis for over 400 miles up the Fly River on the SS Ellengowan. He returned to Sydney, joined the Royal Society of New South Wales in 1877, and in 1878 became an assistant astronomical observer at Sydney Observatory. He held this position for about five years, retired in 1883 with a moderate competency, and gave the rest of his life to research work.