Arthur (Harry) Nash
NASH Arthur Harry (Harry), BSc(Eng) BSc(Hons) BEd(Hons) MEd PHD FIEAust FACE MASEE (1922-1999)
Harry was born at his grandparent’s home, in Harold Street, Mount Lawley, on August 5, 1922. He was the oldest son of locomotive fireman Arthur Nash and his wife Edith Emily May Nash, nee Smyth.
Harry’s secondary education was at Northam High School where he sat his Leaving Certificate in 1939 and received a General Exhibition. He enrolled in Engineering at the University of Western Australia in 1940 completing a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in 1942. He continued to complete a Bachelor of Science with Honours in 1947, a Bachelor of Education with Honours and a Master of Education.
In 1942 he was employed as a Research Engineer at Amalgamated Wireless Australasia (AWA) and then as a Research Officer at the CSIRO Radio Research Board. In 1946, he was appointed as a Lecturer at the Perth Technical College (PTC) and later became Senior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering. He was a strong advocate for purpose built engineering facilities rather than the temporary huts that were being used.
On September 4, 1943, he married Beatrice (Billie) Charlotte Roach at St Phillips Church of England Sydney. They had three children, Geoffrey, Jill and Coralie.
In the early 1960’s, he was able to travel, with his wife and three young children, to study at the University of Michigan on a Fullbright Travelling Fellowship. The family returned to Australia on the “Oronsay” arriving in Fremantle on January 12, 1964. He had previously been awarded a Gledden Travelling Fellowship from the University of Western Australia.
In 1964 he earned his Doctorate from the University of Michigan, completing a thesis on “A Descriptive Study of Educational Television Stations operated by State Universities in the United States of America”.
From 1964 to 1967 he was Assistant Principal in charge of Architecture and Engineering (PTC).
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In 1967, when the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT) was opened at Bentley, Harry was the foundation Dean of Architecture, Art and Engineering. He later became the Assistant Director, Academic Affairs at WAIT, a position he held until his retirement in 1982.
Harry played a key role in establishing the Student Guild at WAIT, heading up a working party of six students to create an interim constitution.
Harry was the author of 35 technical publications including “The potential for wave energy harnessing in Western Australia and possible related research and development work : a report prepared for The Solar Energy Research Institute of Western Australia” published in 1982.
He was a Member of the Enquiry into Higher Education in Papua New Guinea, known as the Weeden Enquiry, that reported in 1969. He joined the Institution of Engineers in 1943 as a Student Member, then an Associate Member in 1950 and a full Member in 1963. By 1979 he had been made a Fellow. In 1969, he became the WA Division Chairman. He also was a long serving Member of the Institution of Engineers Federal Council.
Harry died on October 29, 1999. He was predeceased by his wife Billie.
References:
Margaret A Sacks, Editor, The WAY 79 Who is Who, Crawley Publishers, Nedlands, 1980.
50th Reunion of Graduates of 1947, University of Western Australia, 1997.
Northam Advertiser 27.1.1940, p. 2.
West Australian, 1.9.1954, p. 17.
