Henry Lahmann

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Henry Lahmann
Member of the New Zealand Legislative Council
In office
9 July 1872 (1872-07-09) – 1 June 1890 (1890-06-01) (died in office)
Speaker of the Westland Province Council
In office
8 June 1874 (1874-06-08) – 31 October 1876 (1876-10-31)
Preceded byJohn White
Succeeded byCouncil abolished
Member of the Westland Province Council for Greymouth riding
In office
January 1874 (1874-01) – 31 October 1876 (1876-10-31)
Serving with two other members
Preceded byCouncil inaugurated
Succeeded byCouncil abolished
Chairman of Westland County
In office
12 January 1871 (1871-01-12) – 8 January 1873 (1873-01-08)
Preceded byConrad Hoos
Succeeded byHenry Lee Robinson
Member of the Westland County Council for Greymouth riding
In office
December 1868 (1868-12) – December 1872 (1872-12)
Serving with two other members
Preceded byWilliam Henry Harrison
Personal details
Born
Henry Hermann Lahmann

(1816-02-21)21 February 1816
Bremen, Germany
Died1 June 1890(1890-06-01) (aged 74)
Albert Street, Greymouth, New Zealand
NationalityGerman-New Zealander
OccupationMerchant, shipping agent. politician

Henry Hermann Lahmann (21 February 1816 – 1 June 1890), also known as Henry Herman Lahman and often referred to as H. H. Lahman, was a German immigrant who became a politician on the West Coast of New Zealand. He was active in provincial politics and was later appointed to the Legislative Council (1872–1890).

Biography[edit]

Lahmann was born in 1816 in Bremen, Germany, where he received his education. He went to London as a young man for business, before emigrating to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in 1853, where he worked as a merchant and shipping agent for eight years.

New Zealand[edit]

Lahmann came to Otago in New Zealand when gold was discovered and had a tobacco store in Dunedin.[1] The West Coast Gold Rush brought him to Greymouth in late 1865,[2] where he had business interests in shipping, timber, and as a general merchant.[1]

Politics[edit]

Lahmann was one of the founding members of the Greymouth town improvement committee.[1] He succeeded William Henry Harrison as the representative of the Greymouth riding on the council of Westland County, the predecessor of Westland Province; he represented Greymouth from December 1868 until December 1872.[3] He was the fourth chairman of Westland County, from 12 January 1871 to 8 January 1873.[4]

When the Westland Province was inaugurated, Lahmann successfully stood for election in January 1874 for one of the three seats in the Greymouth electorate. He remained a member of the provincial council until the abolition of the council in October 1876.[5] After John White resigned as Speaker of the Provincial Council to join its Executive,[6] Lahmann became the council's second and last Speaker (8 June 1874 – 31 October 1876).[7]

He was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 9 July 1872 until his death.[8]

Death[edit]

Lahmann died aged 74 on 1 June 1890 at his residence in Albert Street, Greymouth.[9] He had been in poor health for several years and had been almost blind during that time.[10] His wife had died many years before him.[11][failed verification]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Scholefield 1940, p. 479.
  2. ^ "Obituary". Grey River Argus. Vol. XXXVIII, no. 6773. 2 June 1890. p. 2. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  3. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 242.
  4. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 241.
  5. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 244.
  6. ^ "Death of Mr John White". West Coast Times. No. 2322. 6 September 1876. p. 2. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  7. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 243.
  8. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 156.
  9. ^ "Death". Grey River Argus. Vol. XXXVIII, no. 6773. 2 June 1890. p. 2. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  10. ^ "Wellington News". The Star. No. 6869. 3 June 1890. p. 4. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  11. ^ "Death of another Legislative Councillor". Ashburton Guardian. Vol. XII, no. 2430. 2 June 1890. p. 2. Retrieved 8 March 2014.

References[edit]