Henry Blundell (publisher)

Henry Blundell (* 1813 in Dublin, Ireland, † June 15, 1878 in Sydney, Australia) was an Irish journalist and the founder of the newspaper The Evening Post (1865 ) in Wellington, New Zealand.

Life and work

About Henry Blundell's parents, his childhood and his schooling is not known. In very young age, he learned the craft of the printer. At 20 he got a job at the Dublin Evening Post, whose management he later took over until he due to disagreement in personnel matters left the company after 27 years.

In 1845 or 1846 he married Margaret McGowan, with whom he had three sons and three daughters.

In 1860 he emigrated with his children without his wife, who had probably left him before, to Australia and lived for a short time in Melbourne, but then went in 1861 to New Zealand to take over the position of co-manager of the Lyttelton Times in Christchurch. However, the position did not meet his expectations, so he soon went back to Melbourne. In 1863, he finally came back to New Zealand to take a job at the Otago Daily Times. 1864 he moved as a result of the gold rush on Wakamarina River to Havelock, where he died on June 1, 1964 the Havelock Mail published for the first time in partnership with David Curle. But the " noise " was soon over and set the newspaper a few months later in November of the same year again.

Blundell and his partner decided to go to Wellington and, as there were no daily newspaper published to seize the opportunity to establish a daily newspaper. On February 8, 1865 The Evening Post first appeared, but financial difficulties. Curle, his partner, gave up in July and subsequently fell in agreement. Blundell took over all debt and led the evening newspaper with his two sons John and Henry continued. Louis, his third son, resigned after completing his schooling in Dublin also involved in the company.

The time was favorable for a daily newspaper in spite of all difficulties. Wellington was just 5,000 inhabitants just going to once again become the capital of the colony of New Zealand and the only competitor, the Wellington Independent, the New Zealand Advertiser and the New Zealand Spectator published three times a week or only a week, the latter in August 1865 for always the presses ausschaltete.

Blundell promised a liberal journalism, which do not allow border crossings and would behave politically neutral in the first issue of his newspaper. In this sense, he distanced himself from his competitors considerably from. He stood with his newspaper for fairness and independence, characteristics, to which his family successors found across the generations. 1874 Blundell withdrew from the management of the newspaper and handed this task his three sons. Now retired he paid his native Ireland a visit and toured Australia after his return, where he died suddenly in Sydney after a sea voyage on 15 June 1878.

In hindsight his journalistic work in the Evening Post Blundell was as a judge, moderate and inclined than in his reviews to be gracious, and referred to his person recognized as friendly, sympathetic and humorous. His Evening Post remained until 1972, family-owned and had in their continuity to their setting and merger with the Dominion in 2002, a good reputation and was connected to the city of Wellington, with their city's history, with the memory of the Blundell family.

Henry Blundell was transferred after his death to Wellington and were buried in Bolton Street Memorial Park.