Harold Sutton Shapcott was born on 19 March 1898, the fifth child of William Warren Shapcott and Eliza Page Shapcott (nee Sutton) of Ipswich, Queensland. His older brothers were Francis Lucien (1889-1968), Herbert Thomas (1890-1966) and William Percival Jeffery (1890-1966). His two younger siblings were Bessie Winifred (1899-1975) and Eric Alfred (1902-1918, killed in a shooting accident). After leaving school aged 13 Shapcott worked at the Railway Works Accountant’s Office as an apprentice clerk. He enlisted for service on 1 December 1915, stating his age as 19. He had turned 18 when he embarked Australia in June 1916. After serving with the 41st and 42nd Battalions, he returned home in May 1919 and continued his employment with the railways. Shapcott married Dorothy Mary Gillespie on 8 October 1927 and they had four children. One of their sons is the writer Thomas Shapcott. Harold Shapcott undertook studies in accountancy and in 1932 set up his own accountancy form in Ipswich. During the Second World War, he served with 9th Battalion Volunteers Defence Corps Queensland from April 1942 (discharge date unknown). Shapcott held a number of notable positions in the Ipswich area, with strong associations with the Ipswich RSL, Legacy, Chambers of Commerce and Manufacturers and was President of Rotary. In 1930 he was made Assistant Manager of the Queensland Times newspaper, and in November 1937 was appointed commissioner for Scouts in the Ipswich area. In 1962 he donated a Columbian Press to the University of Queensland Library, which the University used to print and publish under the imprint 'The Shapcott Press'. Harold Sutton Shapcott died on 10 March 1972.