Harry Griffiths (1895–1987) was a Christian minister who worked for the Methodist Inland Mission in Alice Springs, Northern Territory.
[1] He married Dorothy, after he was invalided out of the British Army for injuries received as a medical orderly serving in France during World War I. Griffiths was advised to move to a warmer climate and, not qualifying for assistance, he and Dorothy saved for the fares and initially settled in Melbourne.
[2] In Katherine, Griffiths went on patrols in the local area, often assisted by Dorothy, who also helped isolated children with their correspondence lessons and taught Sunday school.
During the war Griffiths started work on the construction of Griffiths House, which was originally designed to be a hostel for young single people who had moved to Alice Springs for work, but by the time it was opened (on 5 July 1941), plans had already changed and it was immediately converted in to a social club for soldiers stationed in Alice Springs.
[5] After the war, and opening in 1945, the house was converted to provide hostel accommodation for children from remote areas of Central Australia so that they could attend school.