Henry Reed (merchant)
Henry Reed | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Doncaster, England |
| Died | October 10, 1880 (aged 73) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, landholder, shipowner, merchant, philanthropist, religious advocate |
| Years active | 1827–1880 |
| Known for | Whaling expeditions, philanthropic support of evangelical missions, founding New Guinea Mission |
Henry Reed (28 December 1806 – 10 October 1880) was a prominent Australian entrepreneur, landholder, shipowner, merchant, philanthropist, and religious advocate.
Early life and career
Reed was born in Doncaster, England, and at the age of 13 began an apprenticeship with a merchant in Hull. In April 1827, he emigrated as a steerage passenger to Hobart before relocating to Launceston, Tasmania. There, he gained employment at John Gleadow’s store. By January 1828, he had been granted 640 acres along the Nile Riverlet and progressively enlarged his land assets.
After leaving Gleadow’s business, Reed launched his own general merchandise enterprise and started acquiring vessels for trading and whaling operations. From 1834 to 1855, five ships under his ownership completed a total of 18 whaling expeditions.
His business network in Tasmania included figures such as James Henty, John Batman, and William Buckley. In 1831, Reed traveled back to Britain where he married his cousin Mary Grubb and entered into a partnership with Henry Buckle & Co., which significantly boosted his commercial ventures.
Returning to Tasmania in 1832, Reed concentrated on expanding his trade activities—including importing sugar from Mauritius—and growing his fleet dedicated to whaling.
Later years
Following the passing of his first wife in 1860, with whom he fathered eleven children, Reed remarried in 1863 to Margaret Sayres Elizabeth Frith from Enniskillen, Ireland; this union produced five additional children. He was a generous supporter of evangelical missions both financially and strategically. His contributions aided William Booth’s Salvation Army during its formative period and extended to organizations such as the China Inland Mission and the East London Christian Mission. Reed also compiled The Pioneer Hymn Book (1870) and authored various religious pamphlets.
In 1873, Reed settled again in Launceston with his family, acquiring Mount Pleasant—recognized as northern Tasmania’s most distinguished residence—and Wesley Dale. Two years later, he played a key role in founding the New Guinea Mission by financing the steam launch named Henry Reed; Henry Reed Bay in New Britain commemorates his name. He purchased Parr’s Hotel in Launceston with the intention of replacing it with the Henry Reed Memorial Christian Mission Church, which was completed after his death in 1885. Additionally, he developed Dunorlan Cottages to offer free accommodation for elderly women in need.
References
- Wilmot Hudson Jr. Fysh (1973), Henry Reed: Van Diemen's Land Pioneer, Cat and Fiddle Press
- Wilmot Hudson Jr. Fysh (1967), Reed, Henry (1806-1880), Australian Dictionary of Biography Vol 2, Melbourne University Press
- Margaret S.E. Reed (c. 1881), Henry Reed An Eventful Life devoted to God and man by his Widow, Morgan and Scott, London