Waste wizard Harry dies, aged 80
They say that one man's trash is another man's treasure, and nothing could be more true for successful Black Country businessman Harry Hum-phries, who has died aged 80.
They say that one man's trash is another man's treasure, and nothing could be more true for successful Black Country businessman Harry Hum-phries, who has died aged 80.
After inheriting three old trucks and a rented garage following his father's death when Harry was just 17, he managed to create a business empire which grew from the proceeds of what other people had discarded.
Now relatives are paying tribute to the Wednesbury businessman and keen historian who "seized life with both hands".
The legacy the grandfather has left behind with Wednesbury demolition firm HE Humphries is one to be proud of. But it wasn't always an easy ride.
Dedicated to keeping his father Samuel's business reputation intact after his death, Harry borrowed £45 from his fiancee Evelyn, who later became his wife, and snapped up a small tipper lorry. Tipton-born Harry's business started by dismantling a brick kiln and recovering the fire brick lining, and grew to demolishing housing and factories across the region.
Most of the materials from demolition projects, such as timber and bricks were recovered, giving way to the launch of Monway Timber Centre and Monway Builders Merchants which sell both new and reclaimed materials.
But Harry eventually sold those businesses for just £1 to save the jobs of his workers after realising his grandsons were not going to take them on and refusing to sell out to a developer.
After making a name for himself for re-using materials others had discarded Harry, father to David, 55, and Susan, 53, amassed a fascinating collection of photographs and historic treasures which he donated to Sandwell archives.
One of his most well-known projects is a windmill which he built near to his home in Church Hill, in Wednesbury. Its steel came from a factory in Halesowen, the windows from Smethwick library, the door from a house in Sutton Coldfield and the turntable to allow it to turn into the wind was from one of his old excavators.
After suffering eight strokes, Harry died of heart failure last week.
Son David said: "Wherever he saw an opportunity he seized it with both hands. In his later years, he took great pleasure in saving parts of interesting buildings and designing them into other buildings. All of these components would have been lost to us had he not found alternative uses for them."
His funeral is at St Bartholomew's Church in Wednesbury at 9.45am on Friday.
