Harvey was born on 6 April 1913 in
Horsham, West Sussex. He was the youngest of four sons of the Rev. Edward Douglas Lennox Harvey (1839–1938),
OBE, of Beedingwood House, Horsham, and his second wife, Emma Jessie ( Rawson) Thornton (1867–1943), the younger daughter of Philip Rawson of Woodhurst, Crawley and widow of Sir Edward Thornton, 3rd
Count of Cacilhas. All three of his elder half-brothers died early and tragic deaths. His father was the youngest of seven sons of William James Harvey of Carnousie, and Isobel Barclay (a daughter of Charles Barclay of Inchbrown,
County of Moray). ==Career==