P001344 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098] updated 2026-01-06 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P001344b.htm person Hartnett Laurence John Kt CBE AACR2 26 May 1898 4 April 1986 Place of Birth England Mechanical engineer Business executive Sir Laurence Hartnett was Managing Director of General Motors-Holden's Ltd Australia 1934-1947 and a director of the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Pty Ltd, Melbourne 1935-1947. He was Director of Ordnance Production within the Munitions Department and presided over the first meeting of the Optical Munitions Panel. Hartnett was a guiding influence over the Panel's work. He was also involved with many external bodies including a stint as Chairman of Ferro Corporation (Australia) Pty Ltd and John Hart Pty Ltd. Hartnett completed a mechanical engineering apprenticeship with Vickers Ltd; Lt., before joining the Royal Navy Air Service and the Royal Air Force. After the war he joined General Motors and worked at many of their branches all over the world, before coming to Australia in 1934. 1917 1919 Career position - Served with the Royal Navy Air Service and the Royal Air Force c. 1920 c. 1933 Career position - Senior Executive of General Motors in India, Ceylon, Malaya, Singapore, Sweden, Finland, USA, UK 1934 1947 Career position - Managing Director of General Motors-Holden's Ltd Australia 1935 1947 Career position - Inaugural Director of Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Pty Ltd 1940 1945 Career position - Director of Ordnance Production within the Munitions Department 1942 1946 Career position - Chairman, Army Inventions Directorate 1945 1945 Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - Managing Director of General Motors Holden 1945 1971 Career position - Council member of the Science Museum of Victoria 1949 1986? Career position - Chairman and Managing Director of Hartnett Holdings Pty Ltd 1967 1967 Award - Knight Bachelor (Kt) - Services to industry and government 1974 1974 Award - Public Service Star of Republic of Singapore 1983 1983 Award - Doctor of Laws (LLD), honoris causa, University of Melbourne Institution of Engineers, Australia (1919 - )

Elected Honorary Fellow 1984

 Optical Munitions Panel (1940 - 1945)

Presided over the first meeting of the Panel, 1940, and had a guiding influence over the Panel's activities.

 Army Inventions Directorate, Commonwealth of Australia (1942 - 1946)

Member as Director of Ordnance Production 1942

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Hartnett, Laurence (1898-)

Trove

 'Hartnett, Laurence John', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Hartnett, Laurence John Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource: Honorary degree holders University of Melbourne Honorary degree holders University of Melbourne 2023 Edited Book: Inventive Vics Exhibition Gold, Ergad; Greener, Rosalie (Ed) Inventive Vics Exhibition Melbourne, Victoria Australian Scientific Industry Association 1985 Catalogue of the Exhibition 58 Conference Paper: Laurence J. Hartnett and the Holden Car Scott, D. R. Laurence J. Hartnett and the Holden Car Barton, Australian Capital Territory Engineers Australia 2003 Engineering Heritage Matters: Conference Papers of the 12th National Conference on Engineering Heritage, Toowoomba, 29 September to 1 October 2003 Sheridan, Norman 152-163 Resource Section: Hartnett, Laurence John Hartnett, Laurence John Australian Science Archives Project 1997 The Giant's Eye: the Optical Munitions Exhibition A Bright Sparcs Exhibition Journal Article: An Edwardian Childhood: Sir Laurence Hartnett and theSearch for Identity Rich, Joe An Edwardian Childhood: Sir Laurence Hartnett and theSearch for Identity 1990 Australian Historical Society 24 252-266 Book: Big wheels and little wheels Hartnett, Laurence Big wheels and little wheels Rev. Hawthorn (Vic.) Gold Star Publications 1973 Journal Article: Four new Honorary Fellows named [Bryan Kelman, Brian Loton, Arvi Parbo, Laurence Hartnett] Four new Honorary Fellows named [Bryan Kelman, Brian Loton, Arvi Parbo, Laurence Hartnett] 1984 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 56 13 40 Edited Book: Wonders never cease: 100 Australian engineering achievements Engineers Australia Wonders never cease: 100 Australian engineering achievements Barton, Australian Capital Territory Institution of Engineers, Australia 2019 Book: A History of Defence Science in Australia Wisdom, John A History of Defence Science in Australia Melbourne Defence Science and Technology Organisation 1995 Resource: Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Online Melbourne Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre 2000 Journal Article: Optical Instruments in Australia in the 1939-45 War: successes and lost opportunities Bolton, H. C. Optical Instruments in Australia in the 1939-45 War: successes and lost opportunities Melbourne Australian Science Archives Project 1990 Bright Sparcs Exhibition Papers Resource: A Wartime Observatory Observed - the Mount Stromlo Community, 1940-1945 Sherratt, Tim; Condé, Anne-Marie A Wartime Observatory Observed - the Mount Stromlo Community, 1940-1945 Canberra Australian Science Archives Project 1994 Laurence John Hartnett - Records The University of Melbourne Archives Laurence John Hartnett - Records 1934 - 1986 Personal records [5 m]. 5 m