Some of those interests are well known, others less so, and a few only known by Harvey himself. As for Harvey’s ‘gentleman’ status, maybe due in no small part to his upbringing and personality, it’s a trait that’s sadly not encountered much in people these days. 

At 82 years of age, Harvey has started to take things a bit easier, spending time on his farm and in the bush more often, relishing the opportunities to get back out into the sunshine. Checking the fences, cutting firewood, as well as playing golf several times a week and involvement in many of the community and charity organisations throughout the region keep him filling his days with activities that would tire many others.

For much of his working life Harvey has been at the helm of the iconic Glen Innes business house of Kwong Sing and Company, firmly entrenched in the main business area of the town.

This year his involvement was honoured with a special inaugural Glen Innes Severn Council Icon of Business award.

Having retired not all that long ago, Harvey still wanders purposely back into the building he still owns and the offices of the business his family established many decades ago and does some of the bookwork and paying of accounts. Kwong Sings is a company that Harvey still has connections to, although the business is now for the most part out of family hands under a lease arrangement.

But there is more to Harvey than just his involvement with Kwong Sings. He has led a most extraordinary life that spans the myriad changes the community, Australia and the world have undergone in that time. The business was established in an era when bushranger Ned Kelly was only just out of the headlines and American Indians were fighting for their homelands.

Born in Glen Innes and educated within the town, Harvey has experienced life since the early 1930s when things were certainly different when compared to today’s world.

Growing up living at the back of the shop with his parents and siblings, Harvey’s interest in the rural side of life was sparked, and has lasted a lifetime.

“I was born the same year the Sydney Harbour Bridge was built,” Harvey proudly acknowledges. “We’re made from different foundations but we’re both still standing,” he laughs.

After his years of schooling he entered retail in the early 1950s packing groceries. Following this Harvey worked in various sections of Kwong Sing’s where he decided to concentrate on the menswear department full time.

Although residing in town the rural life still called spasmodically to Harvey and he indulged his passion for it in many ways, only now in later years being able to relax and enjoy what a life time of work has to offer him and his family.

“My interest in rural life developed very early on,” he said.

 “People would often bring horses by and let me ride them and sometimes they’d even give me the horses to ride,” Harvey said.

Droving is also a job that Harvey once enjoyed. The romance of such a job and lifestyle now popular as others research and reminisce about the ‘good old days’. But this is chapter of Harvey’s life that’s not so well known, and begs to be opened up (maybe next time Harvey?).

Community interests are so numerous for Harvey it’s a wonder he had time for anything else. As a founding member of the clay target shooting club back in the 1960s and 1970s, a member of Apex and Rotary clubs, Birthright, the steering committee of the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal, and the Corrective Services Consult-ative Committee to name but a few of the other recent additions to his long list of interests he has helped to develop the town in his own way.

Of the success of his family’s business ‘empire’ Harvey had this to say, “…we have survived and been fortunate, able to adapt to changing circumstances and willing to provide services the public needed.”

That change, although keeping up with the times and customer desires, has still allowed the store to maintain an air of authenticity and old world charm reminiscent of days gone by, not just with the type of store it is (something like and emporium) but also because of the staff and their friendly knowledgeable customer service.

Family is important and Harvey and wife of Eugenia raised their children with values similar to those they held.

We await the tall tales but true that may emerge of the untold life of Harvey Young as history unfolds its pages.