Samuel Henry Egerton Barraclough was born in the inner southern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales (Australia) on 25th October 1871, the son of William Henry Barraclough and his wife Hannah Arabella, nee Egerton. [1] He preferred to be known as Henry.
He was educated at Sydney Boys High School and University of Sydney [2] where he was awarded a Bachelor of Engineering with first class honours in 1892. [3] After traveling to the USA on a scholarship [4] where he studied at Cornell University and was awarded a Master of Mechanical Engineering [5] he returned to Sydney in 1895 and became lecturer in charge of physics at Sydney Technical College. He was appointed as an assistant lecturer in mechanical engineering at University of Sydney in 1897. He was promoted assistant professor in 1908 [6] and was appointed professor of mechanical engineering at University of Sydney in 1915. [7]
For many years Henry was very active in the Australasian Student Christian Union. He was chairman in 1897 [8] and vice-chairman in 1899. [9]
Henry was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers, New South Wales Military Force in 1899. [10] He was promoted Lieutenant in the Corps of Australian Engineers in 1903. [11] In 1908 he promoted to Captain with the Australian Intelligence Corps. [12] In 1914 he was promoted Major[13] and transferred to the Australian Engineers.[14] In 1916 he was granted temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel [15] when he was sent to the United Kingdom to liaise on establishing an Australian Arsenal. [16]
In London, he oversaw the Australian|Munitions Workers Scheme, initially covering skilled workers from Australia to work as Munitions Workers. The scheme was extended to cover Australians already working as Munitions Workers in the UK under private contract as well as labourers and navvies employed on War related tasks. Eventually he was managing a staff of about 150 in London, coordinating the welfare of about 6,000 Australian workers.
For his work, in the rank of Colonel, with Australian Munitions Workers and War Workers in the United Kingdom during the War Henry was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Military Division (CBE) on 3rd June 1919 [17][18] and created Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1920. [19] After returning to Australia early in 1920 when the last of the Munitions Workers had been repatriated [20] he was placed on the Reserve of Officers on 30th November 1920. [21] He was awarded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration (VD) for twenty years service as a Militia Officer.
In 1924 he was elected Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at University of Sydney.[22] He stepped down as Dean in 1941 and was conferred the honour of Professor Emeritus in 1942.[23]
Sir Henry married Mona Edith Rossiter, nineteen years his junior, on 22 Aug 1927 at the Chapel of Bishopscourt, East Melbourne, Victoria. The Archbishop of Melbourne officiated and the bride was given away by the Prime Minister, Mr Bruce. [24][25] Mona thereby became entitled as Lady Barraclough. A wedding luncheon was hosted by the Prime Minister at his South Yarra home. There were no children from the marriage.
Outside university, Sir Henry was actively involved in many professional societies and associations.
Aged 86 years, he passed away on 30th August 1958 in Sydney Hospital, Macquarie Street, Sydney. [26] He was survived by Mona, Lady Barraclough, who passed in 1968, his sister and brother, siblings-in-law, and four nephews.
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