From 1842 Harvey became involved in the early closing movement. The pattern when he first became head was that business would end at 9 pm (8.30 pm in winter). He got that down in his area first to 8 pm (7 pm in winter) and then in 1855 a unilateral decision was made to move to a 7 pm close all year round, closing on Saturdays at 5 pm. At this time Harvey made a number of speeches in favour of such moves. He was also involved in the work of the YMCA, which was begun in London by George Williams in 1844.
On August 12, 1851, Harvey's diary reveals that he made a long considered resolve to make the point of speaking to young employees words of Christian caution and advice as appropriate.
In his little book on his father Alfred Harvey has a chapter headed "The dread of wealth". There would appear to be no exaggeration in this phrase. Harvey was successful in business throughout his life. Nevertheless, his son comments “in spite of his success, there was never in the City of London, a man who set his mind on money making less than he.” Proverbs 28:20 was one of his watch words - “A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent”. He hated all sharp practice in business. In an address to the YMCA at Aldersgate Street on February 28, 1878, having spoken of getting on in business, he said “Be careful, however, for what purpose you wish to get on.” Live according to your means. He quoted Proverbs 16:8 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” and urged fair play.
It was not simply that Harvey feared money but, more positively, he also had a strong sense of stewardship. On May 26, 1853 he made a remarkable resolution about his finances. He resolved not to spend more than one third of his income on himself and his family, not to save more than another third and to give another third of his income to religious and charitable purposes. He also resolved, perhaps unrealistically, never to be worth more than £20,000. He renewed these vows from time to time. Because of the continual growth of his business he found it impossible to keep to his resolution about not being worth more than £20,000. It caused him some consternation but he sought to keep to the resolution as best he could and even carried it over into the terms of his will. His son remarks that this lifestyle made people think that he was much richer than he actually was. In truth he was simply very generous.
In 1850 Harvey became a member at Bloomsbury (see pic of orioginal building before the towers were removed in 1951) and was very soon made a church officer. He was very involved in evangelism in the nearby slums of St Giles. In 1852 we find him writing “I desire a wife, if it will help me to serve God better, to discharge my private and official duties more efficiently, and by these means to honour my Lord and Saviour; and not else.” Ever a very practical man, by November 1853 he was married – to a Miss Benham, the daughter of the head of a company in Wigmore Street. The son describes her as being a woman of judgement like Harvey himself. They were very practical about the arrangement though the son insists “Never did man and woman love one another in holier and more devoted love than they.”
They came to live in 22 Bloomsbury Square, though their time together was to be tragically brief. On August 17, 1855, Mrs Harvey gave birth to their only son. By August 27 she was dead. Two years we find Harvey writing of his his continuing faith despite what was undoubtedly a severe blow. His sister Rachel had been helping an invalid since the marriage. With his death around the same time, she came to Bloomsbury Square to look after Harvey and his infant son and became the son's “almost mother”
The son also has a brief chapter on his father's civic life. In 1853 he became a Liveryman of the City Company of Lorimers. He soon gained the freedom of the City and then became a Common Councilman. He retired from this in 1861 but not before he had made a resolute and successful attack, including the launch of legal proceedings, on abuses of poor law administration that were going on in his ward of Farrington Without.
He was Chairman of the Board of Guardians for many years. In this connection a dinner was given in his honour on August 6, 1859. In this capacity he was involved in the erection of a new West London workhouse, although he had retired by the time it was completed. This was necessitated by the building of the Holborn Viaduct (1865-69) sweeping business premises, including his own, from the area. He moved to Gresham Street in late 1865.
He was also active jury service and even in the last 20 years of his life, which were spent in Hampstead he was active in civic life. His love of strict justice and individual liberty was reflected in one particular way – in his efforts to get the law on oaths changed. The new law allowed witnesses to simply affirm rather than to go on oath, something that atheists preferred to do.
