Harry Livesey was born in Spain on 30th May 1860 and named Fernando Harry Whitehead Livesey as he was born on St. Fernando's day. His parents, James Livesey (183-1925), civil engineer, and Sarah Ford Whittle (1839-1903), had married at Preston in 1858 and departed soon after to work for the Santander and Altar Railway Company. On return to England James set up business in Manchester as 'James Livesey, Engineer and General Agent' which flourished throughout his life with contracts across North and South America as well as in Spain.
Harry, as he was known, joined his father's business in 1886. The business expanded in 1894 to form 'Livesey Son and Henderson' when joined with Sir Brodie Haldane Henderson (1869-1936), civil and military engineer. The company became one of the foremost consulting engineers of the period, specialising in railway projects and operting worldwide.
During WWI, Harry served as Deputy Director of Inland Waterways and Docks at the War Office from August 1916 to May 1917, when he became Director of Contracts at the Admiralty, holding the post until December 1918. He was knighted as Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1918 and raised to Knight Grand Cross (GBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours.
Harry never married and died at the age of 72, at sea, where he is buried, on 21st June 1932. He, and his family and near relations, are remembered in the family's graveyard at St. Denys, Rotherfield and he is commemorated on the North wall window of the church
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| Generation No. 2 | | 2. James Livesey, civil engineer was the son of (4) Joseph William Livesey, founder of the Temperence Societies and Newspaper proprietor and (5) Jane Livesey [Williams]. He was born 11th May 1831 at Preston, Lancashire; died 3rd Feb 1925 at 4 Whitehall Court, Westminster, London, aged 92 years; died of pneumonia; personal effects: £302210 12s. 5d.; buried 6th Feb 1925 at Rotherfield, Sussex | | He married Sarah Ford Whittle on Oct to Dec 1858, registered at Preston District, Lancashire, ref: 1858 Q4 Vol 8e Page 583. She was born 1839; died 9th Jun 1903, registered at Haslingden District, Lancashire, ref: 1903 Q3 Vol 8e Page 75, aged 64 years. They had the following children: | | i | Sir Harry who was born 30th May 1860 Spain, named as Fernando Harry Whitehead Livesey; died 21st Jun 1932 on board his yacht Jeanette in the harbour of Monaco, aged 72 years; personal effects £211,333 9s. 2d.; buried after 21st Jun 1932 At Sea | | ii | Florence who was born 1861; died 1st Oct 1951, aged 90 years | | iii | Frederick William who was born 6th Nov 1862 Kew, Surrey, registered at Richmond District, Surrey, ref: 1863 Q2 Vol 2a Page 236; died 6th Sep 1929 Hazelmere, Beechwood Avenue, Weybridge, Surrey, personal effects: £1847 11s. 8d.; buried after 6th Sep 1929 Walton-on-Thames | | iv | John Stephenson who was born 7th Sep 1864 Kew, Surrey, registered at Richmond District, Surrey, ref: 1865 Q1 Vol 2a Page 266; died 18th Feb 1937 South Lodge, Sandgate, Kent, personal effects: £16146 14s. 7d.; buried after 18th Feb 1937 Stansted, Essex | | v | Ada Lilian who was born Oct to Dec 1867 Kew, Surrey, registered at Richmond District, Surrey, ref: 1867 Q4 Vol 2a Page 280; died 17th May 1915, aged 46 years | | | | 3. Sarah Ford Livesey [Whittle] She was born 1839; died 9th Jun 1903, registered at Haslingden District, Lancashire, ref: 1903 Q3 Vol 8e Page 75, aged 64 years | | She married James Livesey, civil engineer on Oct to Dec 1858, registered at Preston District, Lancashire, ref: 1858 Q4 Vol 8e Page 583. He was born 11th May 1831 at Preston, Lancashire; died 3rd Feb 1925 at 4 Whitehall Court, Westminster, London, aged 92 years; died of pneumonia; personal effects: £302210 12s. 5d.; buried 6th Feb 1925 at Rotherfield, Sussex. They had the following children: | | i | Sir Harry who was born 30th May 1860 Spain, named as Fernando Harry Whitehead Livesey; died 21st Jun 1932 on board his yacht Jeanette in the harbour of Monaco, aged 72 years; personal effects £211,333 9s. 2d.; buried after 21st Jun 1932 At Sea | | ii | Florence who was born 1861; died 1st Oct 1951, aged 90 years | | iii | Frederick William who was born 6th Nov 1862 Kew, Surrey, registered at Richmond District, Surrey, ref: 1863 Q2 Vol 2a Page 236; died 6th Sep 1929 Hazelmere, Beechwood Avenue, Weybridge, Surrey, personal effects: £1847 11s. 8d.; buried after 6th Sep 1929 Walton-on-Thames | | iv | John Stephenson who was born 7th Sep 1864 Kew, Surrey, registered at Richmond District, Surrey, ref: 1865 Q1 Vol 2a Page 266; died 18th Feb 1937 South Lodge, Sandgate, Kent, personal effects: £16146 14s. 7d.; buried after 18th Feb 1937 Stansted, Essex | | v | Ada Lilian who was born Oct to Dec 1867 Kew, Surrey, registered at Richmond District, Surrey, ref: 1867 Q4 Vol 2a Page 280; died 17th May 1915, aged 46 years | | |
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| Generation No. 3 | | 4. Joseph William Livesey, founder of the Temperence Societies and Newspaper proprietor was the son of (6) John Livesey and (7) Jennet Livesey [Ainsworth]. He was born 5th Mar 1794 at Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire; christened 26th Mar 1794 at Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire; died 2nd Sep 1884 at Bank Parade, Preston, Lancashire, Personal estate: £9,399 9s. 3d. | | He married Jane Williams on 30th May 1815 at St. Peter's Church, Liverpool. She was born 1796 at Wales, daughter of Griffith and Mary Williams; died Apr to June 1869, registered at Kendal District, Westmorland, ref: 1869 Q2 Vol 10b Page 423, aged 73 years. They had the following children: | | i | William who was born 10th Jul 1816 Preston, Lancashire, twin; died 11th Dec 1909 | | ii | Unnamed who was born 10th Jul 1816 Preston, Lancashire, twin; died 10th Jul 1816 | | iii | Joseph who was born 3rd Aug 1818 Preston, Lancashire; died 10th Mar 1875 | | iv | Priscilla who was born 26th May 1820 Preston, Lancashire, died in infancy | | v | John who was born 27th Mar 1822 Preston, Lancashire; died 7th Mar 1895, aged 72 years | | vi | Newton who was born 22nd Aug 1823 Preston, Lancashire | | vii | Howard who was born 15th May 1825 Preston, Lancashire, died in infancy | | viii | Howard who was born 8th Apr 1827 Preston, Lancashire; died 4th Feb 1882 | | ix | Jane who was born 21st Feb 1829 Preston, Lancashire | | x | James who was born 11th May 1831 Preston, Lancashire; died 3rd Feb 1925 4 Whitehall Court, Westminster, London, aged 92 years; died of pneumonia; personal effects: £302210 12s. 5d.; buried 6th Feb 1925 Rotherfield, Sussex | | xi | Alfred who was born 22nd May 1833 Preston, Lancashire | | xii | Franklin Edwin who was born 16th Jun 1836 Preston, Lancashire; died 15th Jan 1871 | | xiii | Priscilla who was born 13th Nov 1837 Preston, Lancashire; died 16th Aug 1840 | | | | 5. Jane Livesey [Williams] She was born 1796 at Wales, daughter of Griffith and Mary Williams; died Apr to June 1869, registered at Kendal District, Westmorland, ref: 1869 Q2 Vol 10b Page 423, aged 73 years | | She married Joseph William Livesey, founder of the Temperence Societies and Newspaper proprietor on 30th May 1815 at St. Peter's Church, Liverpool. He was born 5th Mar 1794 at Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire; christened 26th Mar 1794 at Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire; died 2nd Sep 1884 at Bank Parade, Preston, Lancashire, Personal estate: £9,399 9s. 3d.. They had the following children: | | i | William who was born 10th Jul 1816 Preston, Lancashire, twin; died 11th Dec 1909 | | ii | Unnamed who was born 10th Jul 1816 Preston, Lancashire, twin; died 10th Jul 1816 | | iii | Joseph who was born 3rd Aug 1818 Preston, Lancashire; died 10th Mar 1875 | | iv | Priscilla who was born 26th May 1820 Preston, Lancashire, died in infancy | | v | John who was born 27th Mar 1822 Preston, Lancashire; died 7th Mar 1895, aged 72 years | | vi | Newton who was born 22nd Aug 1823 Preston, Lancashire | | vii | Howard who was born 15th May 1825 Preston, Lancashire, died in infancy | | viii | Howard who was born 8th Apr 1827 Preston, Lancashire; died 4th Feb 1882 | | ix | Jane who was born 21st Feb 1829 Preston, Lancashire | | x | James who was born 11th May 1831 Preston, Lancashire; died 3rd Feb 1925 4 Whitehall Court, Westminster, London, aged 92 years; died of pneumonia; personal effects: £302210 12s. 5d.; buried 6th Feb 1925 Rotherfield, Sussex | | xi | Alfred who was born 22nd May 1833 Preston, Lancashire | | xii | Franklin Edwin who was born 16th Jun 1836 Preston, Lancashire; died 15th Jan 1871 | | xiii | Priscilla who was born 13th Nov 1837 Preston, Lancashire; died 16th Aug 1840 | | |
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| Generation No. 4 | | 6. John Livesey He was born c 1770; died 1801, died of consumption | | He married Jennet Ainsworth on c 1790. She was born c 1770; died 1801, died of consumption. They had the following children: | | i | Joseph William who was born 5th Mar 1794 Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire; christened 26th Mar 1794 Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire; died 2nd Sep 1884 Bank Parade, Preston, Lancashire, Personal estate: £9,399 9s. 3d. | | | | 7. Jennet Livesey [Ainsworth] She was born c 1770; died 1801, died of consumption | | She married John Livesey on c 1790. He was born c 1770; died 1801, died of consumption. They had the following children: | | i | Joseph William who was born 5th Mar 1794 Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire; christened 26th Mar 1794 Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire; died 2nd Sep 1884 Bank Parade, Preston, Lancashire, Personal estate: £9,399 9s. 3d. | | |
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