Henry Brett

Who was Henry Brett?

Sir Henry Brett was a New Zealand journalist, newspaper proprietor, publisher, writer and politician who issued a large number of standard works on colonial subjects.

Brett was born in St Mary Magdalen, Sussex, England on 25 February 1843. and brought up to the printing trade in the office of his uncle, the proprietor of the Hastings and St. Leonards Gazette.

Brett left for New Zealand with the Non-conformist special settlers in 1862, intending to settle upon the land, but on arrival at Auckland the vessel was boarded by a representative of the Daily Southern Cross in search of compositors, and Brett was persuaded to accept an engagement on that paper. Shortly afterwards he joined the reporting staff of The New Zealand Herald and maintained his connection with that journal till 1870, when for the sum of £90 he acquired a third interest in the Auckland Evening Star, which had been recently started by G. M. Reid, and was then in a struggling condition.