George Read (New Zealand politician)

George Read
Born
George Edward Read

1814/1815
Mendlesham, Suffolk, England
Died (aged 63)
Gisborne, New Zealand
SpouseNoko Pahipa

George Edward Read (1814/1815 – 23 February 1878) was a British mariner, trader, landowner and politician in Poverty Bay, New Zealand. Known as Captain Read, he settled in Gisborne after a career in whaling, setting up a store in what was then a small town.

Early life

Read was born in Mendlesham, Suffolk, England, in either 1814 or 1815. Little is known of his early life. He came to the Pacific in the 1830s on a whaling ship, and worked on trading ships.

Poverty Bay

Read first arrived in the settlement of Tūranga in 1844.[1] By 1852, he owned a schooner, and was a prominent trader and landowner.[2]

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1876 6th East Coast Independent

Following the general election held on 6 January 1876, he represented the East Coast electorate until 22 August, when he was unseated on a petition.[3]

Read died at his home in Gisborne on 23 February 1878.[4]

References

  1. ^ Cresswell, Douglas (3 September 1952). " "Father Of Poverty Bay" Was A Sea Captain". New Zealand Free Lance.
  2. ^ Whyte, Philip. "Read, George Edward – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  3. ^ Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer. p. 134.
  4. ^ "Death of an old colonist". Evening Star. No. 4676. 25 February 1878. p. 4. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for East Coast
1876 		Succeeded by


Stub icon

This article about a New Zealand politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Stub icon

This business-related New Zealand biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.