Harry Atmore (14 December 1870 – 20 August 1946) was a New Zealand Independent Member of Parliament for Nelson in the South Island.

[1] Atmore lost his seat in the 1914 election, but returned to parliament in 1919 after unsuccessfully contesting the Wellington Central 1918 by-election which was won by Peter Fraser, the Labour Party candidate.

[1] Following the 1928 election he supported Ward's new United Party form a majority and was rewarded with a position in cabinet, as Minister of Education.

[3] Initially retained in the Forbes ministry, Atmore resigned as education minister in 1931 when cuts were proposed for his portfolio due to the worsening depression and formation of the coalition government which he was opposed to.

[4] However, many of his ideas were later implemented under the First Labour Government where Peter Fraser (who was a member of Atmore's Committee) was minister of education.

He believed it was important to be informed on the issues of the day including monetary reform, international rearmament and the pivotal role of the USSR in any crisis.

[5] Atmore was a well known man in Nelson, refusing to drive a car, instead preferring to ride a bicycle everywhere locally which made him a visible addition to the community.

Throughout World War II the two were both actively involved in patriotic work, which was to earn Dorothy an MBE.

[1] Atmore's grip on the Nelson seat was due primarily to his commitment and availability to his constituents.

For an entire generation Atmore worked for all Nelson residents with such a commitment that his constituents regarded him to be a personal friend.