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.
George Read | |
|---|---|
| Born | George Edward Read 1814/1815 Mendlesham, Suffolk, England |
| Died | (aged 63) Gisborne, New Zealand |
| Spouse | Noko Pahipa |
Early life edit
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 edit
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 edit
| 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]
References edit
- ^ Cresswell, Douglas (3 September 1952). " "Father Of Poverty Bay" Was A Sea Captain". New Zealand Free Lance.
- ^ Whyte, Philip. "Read, George Edward – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
- ^ Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer. p. 134.
- ^ "Death of an old colonist". Evening Star. No. 4676. 25 February 1878. p. 4. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
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