Seymour Thorne George

Seymour Thorne George (10 October 1851 – 2 July 1922) was a New Zealand politician. The premier, Sir George Grey, was his wife's half-uncle and adoptive father, and that relationship resulted in Thorne George representing the South Island electorate of Hokitika despite him being based in the North Island. He later represented the Rodney electorate. Thorne George was later Mayor of Parnell.

Seymour Thorne George
Seymour Thorne George in 1899
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Hokitika
In office
26 June 1878 – 15 August 1879
Preceded byCharles Button
Succeeded byRobert Reid
Richard Seddon
Majority95 (5.68%)
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Rodney
In office
8 September 1879 – 27 June 1885
Preceded byJohn Sheehan
Succeeded byWilliam Pollock Moat
Personal details
Born10 October 1851
Somersetshire, England
Died2 July 1922
Parnell, New Zealand
Resting placePurewa Cemetery
Spouse(s)Annie Maria Matthews (m. 1872)

Early life

Thorne George was from Somersetshire.[1] His father was George Thorne George.[2] He received his education at Cheltenham College in Gloucestershire, England[3] with a view of joining the Royal Engineers, but he had an accident playing soccer, abandoned his studies, and started work as a civil engineer in London.[4]

Life in New Zealand
Annie and Seymour Thorne George

His father was a friend of Sir George Grey, who had been Governor of New Zealand and who temporarily returned to England in 1859. On the advice of Grey, Thorne George moved to New Zealand. For some years, he was the estate manager for Grey on Kawau Island.[4] On 3 December 1872, he married Annie Maria Matthews (1853–1938),[1] who was the daughter of Sir Godfrey Thomas, the half brother of George Grey.[5] After Thomas' death in 1861, Grey had adopted Annie and had raised her.[6] Seymour and Annie had a daughter, Julia Thorne George, who was born in 1874 in Sir George Grey's Mansion house on Kawau Island.[7]

Political career
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1878–1879 6th Hokitika Independent
1879–1881 7th Rodney Independent
1881–1884 8th Rodney Independent

Grey was very popular with people on the West Coast. After a seat in the House of Representatives became available through a resignation in the Hokitika electorate, a Hokitika man enquired by telegram whether he could recommend a good candidate from outside the area. Sir George replied:[8]

My nephew Seymour Thorne George would be glad to represent your district if you sent him a requisition asking him to do so. He was with me when I visited your district in February last. G. Grey

Thorne George represented the Hokitika electorate from 1878 by-election to 1879. He then represented the Auckland electorate of Rodney from 1879 to 1884.[9] He contested the 1884 election in the Parnell electorate, but was defeated by the incumbent, Frederick Moss.[10] He was then appointed to the Legislative Council, from 1903 to 1917.[11]

Thorne George was Mayor of Parnell in 1887–1888 and 1891–1892.[5] He died at his home in Parnell on 2 July 1922,[12] and was buried at Purewa Cemetery.[13]

References
Notes
  1. "Marriages". Daily Southern Cross. XXVIII (4768). 5 December 1872. p. 2. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  2. "Obituary". Auckland Star. LIII (155). 3 July 1922. p. 3. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  3. "Obituary". The Press. LVIII (17497). 4 July 1922. p. 7. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  4. Scholefield 1940, p. 291.
  5. "Grey family descendants reunite on Kawau". Local Matters. February 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  6. "Sir George Grey 1812-1898" (PDF). Department of Conservation. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  7. "Julia Thorne George's wedding". Julia Thorne George's wedding. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  8. "West Coast Times" (2860). 3 June 1878. p. 2. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  9. Wilson 1985, p. 199.
  10. "The General Election, 1884". National Library. 1884. p. 1. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  11. Wilson 1985, p. 154.
  12. "Deaths". Auckland Star. LIII (156). 4 July 1922. p. 1. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  13. "Burial & cremation details". Purewa Cemetery and Crematorium. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
Sources
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
Charles Button		 Member of Parliament for Hokitika
1878–1879
Served alongside: Edmund Barff		 Succeeded by
Robert Reid
Richard Seddon
Preceded by
John Sheehan		 Member of Parliament for Rodney
1879–1884		 Succeeded by
William Pollock Moat
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