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Lawrence Hargrave

Lawrence Hargrave was born on 29 January 1850. He was an engineer, explorer, astronomer, inventor and aeronautical pioneer.

His Life

Hargrave was born to John Fletcher Hargrave in Greenwich, England. He did his schooling at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Westmoreland. In 1865, he and his family come to live in Sydney, Australia on the La Hogue. He established at Ellesmere by sailing all the way around Australia. Although he had shown ability in mathematics in his school but he failed in examination. He took engineering apprenticeship with an Australian Company in Sydney in 1867. By this experience he started to build his models.

In 1872, as an engineer, he went to Maria on a trip to New Guinea. But the ship in which he was sailing is destroyed and he travels again in William John Macleay's trip to the Gulf of Papua in 1875. Next few months he was travelled to the hinterland of Port Moresb, Papua New Guinea under Octavius Stone. In 1876, he went to another trip under Luigi D'Albertis on the SS Ellengowan. In 1877, he then joined the Royal Society of New South Wales.

Aeronautical Career

Hargrave selected aeronautical career and invented many devices but he have not showed interest in applying a patent on those devices. Though he there were many inventions particularly the following three have gained more significance:

Study of Curved Aerofoils it is designed specifically using thicker leading edge.
Box Kite invented in 1893 had used technique of lift to drag ration of early glidders.
Invention of Rotary Engine that has powered most of the early aircraft until 1920.

In 1878, he was chosen as assistant astronomical spectator at Sydney Observatory. In 1883, he retired from the position with a moderate competency and he devoted rest of his life to search and died on 14 July 1915.

Honors and Memorials

The Australian 20 dollar note featured him from 1966 to 1994.

A memorial of Hargrave is built at Bald Hill which will be overlooking Stanwell Park beach.

In his honor of him Professor of Aeronautical Engineering at Sydney University and Hargrave-Andrew Engineering and Sciences library at Monash University

Qantas airlines named it fifth Airbus A380 aircraft after him.