Phillip Tapsell
Danish-born New Zealand mariner, whaler, trader
About Phillip Tapsell
Lived 1701 – 1873. Phillip Tapsell was a whaler.
Phillip Tapsell, born Hans Homan Jensen Falk (1777/1791? – 6 or 7 August 1873) was a Danish mariner, whaler, and trader who settled in New Zealand.
Arrival in New Zealand Tapsell first arrived in New Zealand at the Bay of Islands on the New Zealander on 26 March 1810. He commanded the whaling ship Minerva in the 1820s. He was married three times. The first marriage was to Maria Ringa, conducted by the missionary Thomas Kendall in the Bay of Islands on 23 June 1823, and claimed (by Tapsell himself) as the first Christian wedding in New Zealand. or November 1830 he settled in Maketu and began trading flax.
At one time Tapsell owned both Whakaari (White) and Moutohora (Whale) islands and he lived for a while on the latter.
Descendants His great-grandson, Sir Peter Tapsell, was a member of the New Zealand Parliament from 1981 to 1996 and a Speaker of the House.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Phillip Tapsell's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Phillip Tapsell's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Phillip Tapsell?
Danish-born New Zealand mariner, whaler, trader
When was Phillip Tapsell born?
Phillip Tapsell was born in 1701.
When did Phillip Tapsell die?
Phillip Tapsell died in 1873.
What was Phillip Tapsell's occupation?
Phillip Tapsell was a whaler.
What nationality was Phillip Tapsell?
Phillip Tapsell's recorded nationality: Colony of New Zealand.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Phillip Tapsell. https://biography.guide/phillip-tapsell/
MLA: "Phillip Tapsell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/phillip-tapsell/.
Chicago: "Phillip Tapsell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/phillip-tapsell/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 04:59 UTC