James Henty

James Henty (24 September 1800 – 12 January 1882), was pioneer, merchant and politician in colonial Australia.

Early life James Henty was the eldest son of Thomas Henty, a wealthy English land-owner and banker from Tarring, West Sussex. He was born at Tarring and his younger brothers included Edward Henty and Stephen Henty. As a young man James assisted his father in the farming business at Church Farm for a while and then afterwards studied law and managed the family bank which had branches across the county.

Swan River Colony The Hentys had hoped to obtain an order to select upon arrival at the Swan River and hence quickly organised their transport to Australia. The ship Caroline was chartered and James aided by his teenage brothers Stephen and John, was chosen to oversee the Henty family's colonial project. In June 1829 the vessel, loaded with 150 merino sheep, 5 thoroughbred horses and 33 domestic servants, sailed out from England. They arrived at Fremantle in November 1829, with James being initially disappointed with the poor quality of the soil and the small 2,000 acre Stoke Farm land grant given to him. James convinced Governor Stirling to give him an additional town allotment near Fremantle and also a large grant of land to the south, inland from the Leschenault Estuary, in a region which became known as the Henty Plains.

Van Diemen's Land In early 1832, James settled at Launceston which was the centre of the island's profitable wheat market and was also where James had already started investing in the local banks. He attempted to obtain a 20,000-acre land grant but discovered that the system of giving large parcels of land to aristocratic colonists had ceased, and had to be content with renting a rural estate for the agistment of the Henty family livestock. Despite James' problems in the Australian colonies, his father Thomas decided to emigrate from England with most of the remaining Henty family in order to join James. Continuing social unrest in Sussex such as the recent Swing Riots of the labouring classes facilitated the decision to leave. In April 1832, James' parents arrived in Launceston with his other siblings including Frank and Edward.

James bought a mansion at Richmond Hill and in 1859, he took up 90,000 acres of crown land in New South Wales at Round Hill near Walla Walla. James died at the Round Hill property in January 1882. Another son, Thomas was briefly MLC for the Southern Province.