Harry was born in Bradford in 1913 to Sam Lee and Susan Boyes. His father had operated a Savage Steam Yacht in the fairground, although he had settled by the time Harry grew up.

After losing his job in the mills following the Wall Street Crash, Harry returned to his showland roots and he travelled Savage Yachts with his aunt and uncle around East Anglia for most of the inter-war years.

During the war he served in the Durham Light Infantry, but a road accident saved him from serving in North Africa. When he returned to Bradford he found the original Waddington Yachts his father had travelled packed away on Bowling Fairground. He set to rebuild the ride, becoming a pioneer in the field of steam preservation and in 1947 he married Pricilla Waddington and took over the ride.

His contribution to the field not only saved the set of Yachts, but by rescuing parts as they became available, it allowed John Carter to return the ex-Joe Ling set to steam.

Harry was a founder member of the Fair Organ Preservation Society and of the Fairground Society. He was also a member of the Fairground Association of Great Britain from its early days.

Harry died in 1997