Personal details
Full Name:
- Henry Sewell
Lifetime:
- 7 Sep 1807–14 May 1879
Premier:
7–20 May 1856
Age on becoming Premier:
49
Electorate:
Town of Christchurch
Biography
Henry Sewell
Henry Sewell, our first premier – or colonial secretary as early premiers were called – was more of a sojourner than a settler. Although he spent 17 years inNew Zealandin three periods between 1853 and 1876, he never put down deep roots..
Read more...Events In History
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30 October 1865Native Land Court createdThe Native Land Court was one of the key products of the 1865 Native Lands Act. It converted traditional communal landholdings into individual titles, making it easier for Pākehā to purchase Māori land. Read more...
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7 May 1856Henry Sewell becomes the country’s first premierSewell held the position for just 14 days before being replaced by his provincialist rival William Fox, whose ministry in turn lasted just over a week. Read more...
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Main image: Henry Sewell
Seated portrait of Henry Sewell with a cane, circa 1872, photographed by Swan & Wrigglesworth.
