Harry Boan

Who was Harry Boan?

Henry Boan was an Australian businessman and politician, who was best known for establishing the Boans department store in Perth, Western Australia.

Boan was born at Jones Creek near Dunolly, Victoria on 4 November 1860. He was the son of English born Jewish parents Thomas, a miner and road contractor, and Rachel Isaacs. Thomas and Rachel had previously lived in California before coming to Australia in about 1850 in relatively poor circumstances. When Harry was about 16 he left home and worked as a messenger in Flegeltaub's Ballarat warehouse on wages of 10s. per week including lodging. He was later promoted to a position of town-traveller at £2 10s. per week but soon resigned. From here he moved between jobs in Melbourne and later Sydney, Brisbane, Toowoomba and Charters Towers including positions at 'Anthony Hordern's' and 'David Jones's'.