Geoffrey Davey
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Innes Davey CBE
(27 November 1906 – 12 February 1975) was an Australian civil engineer and priest.
Davey was born at Double Bay
in Sydney
to English-born law clerk Joseph Innes Davey and Caroline, née Hurley. He attended Marist Brothers' High School in Darlinghurst
and then the University of Sydney
, receiving a Bachelor of Engineering
in 1929. After graduating, he became an assistant construction engineer, working on the Woronora Dam
for the Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board; he later began his own Queensland
business manufacturing roofing tiles. In 1933 he was in charge of mill installation at Port Kembla for Australian Iron and Steel Ltd and then worked in Papua
and Tasmania
. He married architect Elsa Annette Isabel Hazelton at St Mary's Cathedral
in Sydney
on 6 February 1935.
Davey and his partner Gerald Haskins formed GHD Group
and worked on the Morning Star dam in Tasmania and in New South Wales before amalgamating with A. Gordon Gutteridge in 1939 and receiving Commonwealth contracts during World War II
. In 1946 he contested the Australian House of Representatives
, running unsuccessfully for the Liberal Party
in Hume
. One of the founders of the Association of Consulting Engineers, he was its president from 1956 to 1957 and a councillor of the Institution of Engineers in 1962 and 1964–65. In 1966 he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Davey had been appointed a knight commander of the Order of St Gregory the Great in 1960, and worked as an advisor to the Sydney Catholic schools system and a director of St Vincent's Hospital
, as well as the Mater Misericordiae Hospital and the Catholic Weekly. He retired from his firm in 1964, becoming executive director of the Sydney Catholic Schools Building and Finance Commission. In 1967 he began studying theology at the Pontifical Beda College in Rome
, and was ordained a priest by Cardinal Sir Norman Gilroy at Wahroonga
on 10 July 1971 in a church designed by his late wife. He was sent to Strathfield
as a curate
. He died at the presbytery there in 1975 of a coronary occlusion
and was buried at Mona Vale
beside his wife.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(27 November 1906 – 12 February 1975) was an Australian civil engineer and priest.
Davey was born at Double Bay
Double Bay, New South Wales
Double Bay is a harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Double Bay is located 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra.Double Bay takes its name...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to English-born law clerk Joseph Innes Davey and Caroline, née Hurley. He attended Marist Brothers' High School in Darlinghurst
Darlinghurst, New South Wales
Darlinghurst is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Darlinghurst is located immediately east of the Sydney central business district and Hyde Park, within the local government area of the City of Sydney...
and then the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, receiving a Bachelor of Engineering
Bachelor of Engineering
The Bachelor of Engineering is an undergraduate academic degree awarded to a student after three to five years of studying engineering at universities in Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland , Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Korea,...
in 1929. After graduating, he became an assistant construction engineer, working on the Woronora Dam
Woronora Dam
Woronora Dam collects water from the catchment of the Woronora River, which drains into the dam and then to Georges River. The dam supplies water to residents within the Sutherland Shire in Sydney's south and also the northern Illawarra suburbs of Helensburgh, Otford, Stanwell Tops, Stanwell Park...
for the Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board; he later began his own Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
business manufacturing roofing tiles. In 1933 he was in charge of mill installation at Port Kembla for Australian Iron and Steel Ltd and then worked in Papua
Papua
Papua was the name, as provided to the Portuguese commander Jorge de Meneses while sheltering there in 1526, of the people living on Waigeo, one of the Raja Ampat Islands west of the Vogelkop Peninsula, now part of the West Papua province of Indonesia. The Spanish pilot Martin de Uriarte in the...
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. He married architect Elsa Annette Isabel Hazelton at St Mary's Cathedral
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
The Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell. The cathedral is dedicated to "Mary, Help of Christians", Patron of Australia...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 6 February 1935.
Davey and his partner Gerald Haskins formed GHD Group
GHD Group
GHD Pty Ltd is an engineering, architecture and environmental consulting firm.Established in 1928, GHD employs more than 6000 people across five continents and serves clients in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation.The company...
and worked on the Morning Star dam in Tasmania and in New South Wales before amalgamating with A. Gordon Gutteridge in 1939 and receiving Commonwealth contracts during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1946 he contested the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
, running unsuccessfully for the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
in Hume
Division of Hume
The Division of Hume is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. The Division is located in the central part of the state, just north of the Australian Capital Territory. The Division covers a predominantly rural area, with agriculture and coal mining the main industries...
. One of the founders of the Association of Consulting Engineers, he was its president from 1956 to 1957 and a councillor of the Institution of Engineers in 1962 and 1964–65. In 1966 he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Davey had been appointed a knight commander of the Order of St Gregory the Great in 1960, and worked as an advisor to the Sydney Catholic schools system and a director of St Vincent's Hospital
St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney
St Vincent's Public Hospital, Sydney is located in the inner city suburb of Darlinghurst. Though part of the New South Wales state public health system it remains under the auspices of the Sisters of Charity.-History:...
, as well as the Mater Misericordiae Hospital and the Catholic Weekly. He retired from his firm in 1964, becoming executive director of the Sydney Catholic Schools Building and Finance Commission. In 1967 he began studying theology at the Pontifical Beda College in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and was ordained a priest by Cardinal Sir Norman Gilroy at Wahroonga
Wahroonga, New South Wales
Wahroonga is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wahroonga is located 22 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council and Hornsby Shire....
on 10 July 1971 in a church designed by his late wife. He was sent to Strathfield
Strathfield, New South Wales
Strathfield is an Inner West suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Strathfield is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield...
as a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
. He died at the presbytery there in 1975 of a coronary occlusion
Coronary occlusion
A coronary occlusion is the partial or complete obstruction of blood flow in a coronary artery. This condition may cause a heart attack.In some patients coronary occlusion causes only mild pain, tightness or vague discomfort which may be ignored: the myocardium is however damaged....
and was buried at Mona Vale
Mona Vale, New South Wales
Mona Vale is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 28 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Pittwater Council. Mona Vale is also part of the Northern Beaches region.-...
beside his wife.