STONE, CAPTAIN JAMES (1816-85) was born at Stepney, brought up in Epping Forest, and educated at Waltham Abbey school and Harlow. He was first in an accountant's office in London; then with a solicitor. In 1834 he arrived in Hobart and obtained employment in the legal office of Gamaliel Butler. While there he learned the building trade and, having married in 1838, he moved to Port Phillip, invested in town sections and erected a brick store in which he established himself as an ironmonger. Attracted by the chance of speculating in New Zealand lands, he came to Port Nicholson by the Earl Stanhope (Mar 1840), and in Jan 1841 arrived in Auckland and camped on a vacant section. When the town lots were sold (Apr 1841) he purchased sections in Shortland and Queen streets and erected buildings. The timber was sawn for him in the Hutt valley and shipped by the schooner Patriot to Auckland. With Langford and Gardiner as partners, the firm took up contracts for supplying spars to the Royal Navy. They made shipments by the brig Erin for Melbourne (1847), by the River Chief and Maukin for Sydney, and by the Camilla for Hobart. They also shipped timber, potatoes and onions to California, but with disastrous financial results. With several others Stone was interested in the building of the first steamer ever owned in Auckland, the Governor Wynyard. She was sent to Melbourne at the opening of the goldfields and ran successfully on the Yarra river until sold. Stone went to Victoria in the brig Moa and remained there several years, running two brigs, the Drower and Kirkwood, in the New Zealand trade. In 1855 he returned and resumed business in Shortland street.

Stone was interested in many companies and financial institutions. He was one of the founders of the New Zealand Insurance Co., the Bank of New Zealand, the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., the Auckland Gas Co., and the New Zealand Land Mortgage Co., and was a director of the Northern Boot Co., the Shortland Sawmill Co., and the Union Oil, Soap and Candle Co. He was also interested in mining companies on the Thames field, and with his son-in-law (John Bycroft) in a flour and biscuit manufacturing company. He was a staunch Wesleyan, and introduced the services of that denomination in the Hutt valley. Stone died on 15 Apr 1885.

Cycl. N.Z., ii; N.Z. Herald, 14 Jan 1882, 16 Apr 1885.

Reference: Volume 2, page 172

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