George Read (New Zealand politician)
New Zealand politician and mariner (1814/1815–1878)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
1814/1815
George Read | |
|---|---|
| Born | George Edward Read 1814/1815 Mendlesham, Suffolk, England |
| Died | (aged 63) Gisborne, New Zealand |
| Spouse | Noko Pahipa |
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
| 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]
