Person

Huehnergard, Harry W.

February 13, 1921-January 9, 2006

Harry Huehnergard was born in Kitchener, Ontario to Alister Ezra Huehnergard (1897-1946) and Gertrude Pollakowski (1896-1974). The middle of the three children, his siblings included older brother Carl and younger sister June. In 1933, at the age of 12, Harry began working for the Kitchener-Waterloo Record as a carrier, going to the main Record offices on Duke Street to pick up the newspapers. By 1937 Harry had graduated to working as a proof runner, pastepot filler and accounts collector at the rate of 10$ per week. The Record took a chance on Harry in 1939 when he was made the first staff photographer. He would take the images for the newspaper, have them developed by William Cochrane and then engraving plates made by MacPhail Engravers. The Second World War interrupted Harry's photography career when he enlisted in 1942, joining the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Harry was stationed in Gander, Newfoundland and while there became the Associate Editor and then Editor of "The Gander" which was the magazine for RCAF troops. After the end of the war Harry returned to Kitchener and to working for the Record, with some key changes made to the photography department. He installed the first darkroom at the record in 1946 so that photographs could be developed onsite. He was also involved in the founding of the Commercial and Press Photographers Association of Canada (now Professional Photographs of Canada) serving on the executive committee. In 1948 Harry married Sylvia and the couple had two children, John and Mark. The next decades would bring changes to the field of photography including the installation of a wire photo machine in 1953, and a laserphoto receiver in 1977. Harry also helped to establish the Waterloo Regional Police Department's photography department. During the course of his career he wrote a popular photography column for 25 years, and by the time of his retirement he was the Manager of the Photographic Department. Towards the end of his career at the Record Harry began to search for a permanent home for the Record's negative collection and was the person behind the collection being donated to the University of Waterloo. Harry retired in 1986 after a 49 year career at the Record.

Kitchener-Waterloo Record

Rev JB March 2019