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Kent, Harry Dale
Biography
BiographyThe September 1, 2021 'Upper Hutt Leader' obituary called him a 'pioneering cyclist' and 'icon of the sport'.
From 'Upper Hutt Heroes', 2016:-
Cycling was always a huge part of Kent’s life.‘ As he grew up, his father recorded all Of his training times and plotted them On a graph In the family home. From the age of 16 years, Kent would time trial from Upper Hutt to Lower Hutt and back again. At that time he was riding his father’ 5 pre-
war 05 geared bike which had only four speeds, and his kit Was a second— hand Poneke, a knitted jersey, and shorts he inherited from his father (and which his father’s mother had knitted). He won the 25- mile JuniOr Grade of-the Wellington Regional Championships When he was just 18 years old, after breaking away half way into the race and riding to the finish solo. More success came, including
breaking the New Caledonian one kilometre record and
then winning the National Championships, which gained him selection for the 1970 Commonwealth Games, where he won the one-kilometre time trial in record time; a few days later, Bruce Biddle won the road race. A few weeks later, Harry came second to Niels Fredborg of Denmark at the World Track Championship. He became New Zealand Sportsman of the Year in 1970. He kept the bike and was still seen riding it until close to 2020. Cycling New Zealand said Harry was one of the first to focus on developing strength and riding bigger gears. He also competed unsuccessfully in the 1972 Olympics.
The Kent family had been running nurseries for 40 years when the March 1971 "Leader' printed a picture of a building proposed for a garden centre on the corner of Ranfurly Street and Fergusson Drive, combining Kent Nurseries and Wale's Garden Supplies Ltd as Kent Gardens Ltd. The area was zoned residential, which caused some difficulty, but the centre was still running in 2006 according to the article; but a series of 1996 photos from the city planner shows general neglect of the site.
He was a city councillor 1977-1983; and when he stood in 1992 his pamphlet listed his hates (butterflies, caterpillars, council officers, speculators, prejudice and avarice). Achievements listed included a gold medal at the 1970 Commonwealth Games, competing at the Olympics, being a councillor 1977-1983 (and coming 16th-last in 1983) and surviving an Upper-Hutt-City-attempted rating sale; pastimes included cycle racing refereeing, fishing, hunting, 'doing things differently with a smile' and 'engaging city council and Valuation Department in legal proceedings'. He was last elected for the 1992-1995 term.
Harry died on August 23, 2021; a death notice and two appreciations from the Clark and Tillotson families appeared in the August 28 'Dominion Post'.
From 'Upper Hutt Heroes', 2016:-
Cycling was always a huge part of Kent’s life.‘ As he grew up, his father recorded all Of his training times and plotted them On a graph In the family home. From the age of 16 years, Kent would time trial from Upper Hutt to Lower Hutt and back again. At that time he was riding his father’ 5 pre-
war 05 geared bike which had only four speeds, and his kit Was a second— hand Poneke, a knitted jersey, and shorts he inherited from his father (and which his father’s mother had knitted). He won the 25- mile JuniOr Grade of-the Wellington Regional Championships When he was just 18 years old, after breaking away half way into the race and riding to the finish solo. More success came, including
breaking the New Caledonian one kilometre record and
then winning the National Championships, which gained him selection for the 1970 Commonwealth Games, where he won the one-kilometre time trial in record time; a few days later, Bruce Biddle won the road race. A few weeks later, Harry came second to Niels Fredborg of Denmark at the World Track Championship. He became New Zealand Sportsman of the Year in 1970. He kept the bike and was still seen riding it until close to 2020. Cycling New Zealand said Harry was one of the first to focus on developing strength and riding bigger gears. He also competed unsuccessfully in the 1972 Olympics.
The Kent family had been running nurseries for 40 years when the March 1971 "Leader' printed a picture of a building proposed for a garden centre on the corner of Ranfurly Street and Fergusson Drive, combining Kent Nurseries and Wale's Garden Supplies Ltd as Kent Gardens Ltd. The area was zoned residential, which caused some difficulty, but the centre was still running in 2006 according to the article; but a series of 1996 photos from the city planner shows general neglect of the site.
He was a city councillor 1977-1983; and when he stood in 1992 his pamphlet listed his hates (butterflies, caterpillars, council officers, speculators, prejudice and avarice). Achievements listed included a gold medal at the 1970 Commonwealth Games, competing at the Olympics, being a councillor 1977-1983 (and coming 16th-last in 1983) and surviving an Upper-Hutt-City-attempted rating sale; pastimes included cycle racing refereeing, fishing, hunting, 'doing things differently with a smile' and 'engaging city council and Valuation Department in legal proceedings'. He was last elected for the 1992-1995 term.
Harry died on August 23, 2021; a death notice and two appreciations from the Clark and Tillotson families appeared in the August 28 'Dominion Post'.
Photos
Publication
Details
Date of Birth11th March 1947Date of Death23rd August 2021SexMale
Date of Death23rd August 2021SexMaleKent, Harry Dale. Upper Hutt City Library, accessed 02/04/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/33122