Early work

Presbyterian Ladies' College, Croydon

Farmers and Graziers Warehouse, Ultimo

Griffiths Teas, Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills

Bebarfalds, now Woolworths, Sydney

When Kent was unable to find employment after graduation from university, he sought advice from John Fairfax. With a recommendation from Fairfax, Kent managed to secure work with master builder John Young. During this time he worked on the construction of the Department of Lands building, St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney and the Garden Palace that was built for the International Exhibition of 1879. He went into private practice in 1882 and his first commission was the design of Eldon Chambers in Pitt Street, Sydney, for Josiah Mullens.^[2]

In 1886, Kent designed Caerleon in Bellevue Hill, New South Wales for the Fairfax family, only to have it redesigned by Maurice B Adams in the Queen Anne Style (this made it the first Queen Anne home in Australia). Accepting the inevitable changes, Kent agreed to supervise the construction of his made-over design, but was then outraged when Adams exhibited the design in London as his own work.^[11]

In 1890, Kent designed the main school building at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney.^[12] An important early residential design was Lincluden at 12 Fairfax Road, Bellevue Hill, New South Wales, for Sir Thomas Anderson Stuart. The home was constructed 1896–97 and is heritage-listed.^[13] In 1895, Kent designed his first major warehouse. The Farmers & Graziers No. 1 Woolstore building is a 3 & 4-storey Federation style warehouse constructed of face brickwork with sandstone detailing and timber windows and doors. It has in recent years been converted into residential apartments.^[14]

Kent and Budden

In 1899, Kent entered into partnership with his former student, Henry Budden and the firm became known as Kent & Budden. Buildings of this partnership include:

• New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company Limited, wool store, 330 Wattle Street and 89 Jones Street, Ultimo, 1906;^[15]
• Cheyne, 21 Redmyre Road, Strathfield 1906;^[16]
• Emu Creek, Emu Creek Road, Walcha, 1908;^[17]
• Kent House, Liverpool Street, Sydney (1912), now heritage-listed.^[18]
• Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children at Camperdown (with Stuart Bros of Annandale)^[19]

Kent Budden & Greenwell

In 1913, Harry Kent and Henry Budden were joined in partnership by Carlyle Greenwell. Greenwell had served his articles with Kent & Budden and after attending Sydney Technical College and the University of Sydney he had completed a Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. The partnership of Kent Budden & Greenwell was dissolved in 1919, having produced 150 buildings. Budden and Greenwell continued to work in partnership until 1922.^[2] Buildings by Kent Budden & Greenwell include:

• Griffith Teas, Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills in 1915.

Kent and Massie

Kent and H H Masie became partners in 1919 and practiced together until Kent's retirement in 1930. Massie was a member of an influential banking, commercial and sporting family. Kent & Massie secured many commercial commissions including Bebarfalds,^[20] later Woolworths Limited, in George Street, Sydney.^[2] Another of their buildings was Pilgrim House, in Pitt Street (1928). It is heritage-listed.^[18]

Principal client for Kent and Massie was the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, now NAB. Kent & Massie designed the former CBC head office on corner of George & Barrack Street Sydney, now heritage-listed,^[21] and a series of country banks at Newcastle^[22] and Cessnock.^[23]