Henry Le Cren
Henry John Le Cren (2 July 1828 – 20 May 1895) was a New Zealand merchant. Born in London, he was an early settler in Lyttelton and traded both in the port town and central Christchurch. He moved to Timaru in 1858 and is regarded as one of the town's pioneers. Companies owned by him or his eldest son are predecessors to the New Zealand agricultural supply business PGG Wrightson. Early life Le Cren was born in London, England and baptised on 3 September 1828. His parents were Henry Le Cren and Emma Ann Le Cren (née Davies). Both his father and his maternal grandfather were French exiles. The family lived in Greenwich, and Henry and his brother Frederic were sent to Christ's Hospital in Horsham in West Sussex for their education. He entered the merchant banking house ″Frühling & Göschen″ (later Anglicised to become Fruhling & Goschen) where he worked alongside George Joachim Goschen who was made a director of the Bank of England at age 25. Life in Lyttelton On Goschen's recommendation he was appointed agent in New Zealand for the Canterbury Association. With his cousin, Joseph Longden, he travelled to Lyttelton in New Zealand on the Barbara