H. L. Conran
Henry Lewis Conran | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Melbourne, Australia |
| Died | December 25, 1924 (aged 62) |
| Occupation(s) | Stockbroker, pastoralist |
Henry Lewis Conran (26 December 1861 – 25 December 1924), commonly referred to as H. L. Conran or Harry, was an Australian stockbroker and pastoralist.
History
Born in Melbourne, Conran received his education in England before entering the Royal Navy, where he trained aboard HMS Britannia in 1865. His father, Captain (later Lieutenant-Colonel) Lewis Charles Conran (circa 1820 – 1893), held various posts in Tasmania and Victoria, including serving as aide-de-camp to Governor La Trobe and as sergeant-at-arms for Victoria's inaugural Legislative Council. The family returned to Australia in 1874 and established themselves in Geelong at "Barrabool House," which included a farm located in Highton. In 1888, Henry married Catherina Sarah McLeod, who passed away in 1941.
Conran departed from the Navy in 1872 to collaborate with his brother Thomas Wills Conran in sheep grazing ventures in Queensland. Together, they secured leases such as Yamala station on the Peak Downs, acquiring it outright in 1877 under the name Conran Bros & Co., and invested significantly in Gordon Downs station nearby. He was instrumental in founding the Peak Downs Turf Club in 1879. However, the period from 1881 to 1886 brought severe droughts and subsequent bushfires that inflicted considerable damage on their holdings.
Thomas amassed wealth through trading Broken Hill shares and obtained a seat on the Adelaide Stock Exchange by 1901. Henry later relocated to South Australia to join him but initially faced financial difficulties until the gold discoveries at Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie enabled him to accumulate substantial assets. He established his residence in Glenelg and operated a business office on Grenfell Street, Adelaide.
In 1893, the brothers launched the Conran Syndicate to fund Cosmopolitan Mines near Menzies and Niagara in Western Australia, partnering with prominent investors including G. A. Stockfeld and R. C. Baker. The following year, Henry acted as broker for shares of Coolgardie mines such as "Wealth of Nations" and "Brilliant Reward." Additionally, he held shares and was a creditor of The Coolgardie Courier, which eventually became insolvent.
Later, Conran built a residence named "Courabelle" at Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, while maintaining annual visits to Australia. The family sustained connections with European nobility; notably, he gifted kangaroos to the German Crown Princess through Perth Zoo’s Ernest Albert Le Souef.
Following several years of declining health, Conran passed away and was interred at Hampstead Cemetery.
Family
On 30 September 1886, Conran married Mary Louisa "Minnie" Molle (born 1865) from Brisbane; her father was Colonel Molle of the 43rd Regiment stationed in Hobart.
- Major Eric Lewis Conran (circa 1887 – 1924) distinguished himself as a soldier, joining the Royal Flying Corps' 3rd Squadron in 1914 and is believed to be among the first Australians awarded the Military Cross. He died after surgery for a brain tumor.
- Nancy Conran wed Major (later Lieutenant-Colonel) Wadham Heathcote Diggle DSO, MC of the Grenadier Guards. She earned the Croix de Guerre for her service with the French Red Cross canteen at the Front.
- Alleyne Conran married the Honorable Mountjoy Upton (born circa 1894), son of Henry Upton, 4th Viscount Templetown; she became Viscountess Templetown in 1939.
His siblings included Thomas Wills Conran (1850–1915), an Adelaide-based mining specialist; Charles Conran (1854–1939); and Marcell Conran (1855–1935) associated with Geelong and Macedon. The Anglican Father M. W. T. Conran of the Cowley Brotherhood, who officiated at his funeral, was a cousin.