Harry Perlman

Harry Perlman (1924-2008)

Harry Perlman was born at Maroubra on 8 August 1924. He developed an interest in tools from the age of five, encouraged by his father and an uncle. A highlight of his childhood was seeing Charles Kingsford Smith land The Southern Cross, and perhaps meeting him. This inspired a life-long interest in flying.

He completed his schooling to Intermediate Level and continued study at Central Technical College, Ultimo at night. He gained an apprenticeship with Sydney County Council and worked in the machine shops at Bunnerong Power Station during the war years, as well as the Pyrmont A station.

He completed his apprenticeship in 1944 and then did further study, qualifying as a Marine Engineer. At this time he met his wife, Gwen, who was a clerk at Pyrmont, and they married in 1945, subsequently having three children.

He worked as a fitter on Pyrmont B Power Station and then as a draftsman in the mechanical design office. He left SCC and started work as a draughtsman for JR Pillars. He had been offered a job, which he refused, with Simon Carves. He helped set up the fabrication shop for JR Pillars. He was working at Bunnerong when a man as killed in a crane accident, and he was made responsible for crane maintenance. At this time he was also working on the construction of Tallawarra Power Station and building himself a home at Kingsford.

Later he was an engineer on the Hume Weir Hydro power station project, and then Morwell Power Station in Victoria. The workers on these projects were often migrants and there were language problems especially as the drawings at Morwell were in German. After the completion of Morwell, he worked on the installations of paper machines and kilns at the nearby APM Paper Mill.

Perlman returned to Sydney in 1960 so that his son, Greg, could study Architecture at the University of NSW. At this time he was working as an estimator for Simon Carves, who had taken over JR Pillars. There were staff problems in the company and Perlman was involved in a restructure, becoming Chief Estimating Engineer. He made many visits to Japan to look at power station operations there, and had a role in the commissioning of gas turbines for various power stations in Victoria and Queensland.

There were problems with power blackouts in NSW during late 1970s, demonstrating a need for new turbines. He worked on estimates for new turbines over Christmas/New Year to meet urgent submission deadlines.

His interest in flying, prompted by a heart attack at 45 years of age about 1969, meant that he used his own aircraft to transport himself and other executives to the Eraring Power Station site. He also worked on the installation of gas turbines at the Port Hedland power station near Karratha in Western Australia.

Perlman retired in 1987, aged 63, to operate his aircraft and aircraft hire business.

Harry Perlman died on 20 April 2008, aged 83.

To access an oral history interview with Harry Perlman please use this link.