Henry Colin Balneavis (15 March 1818[1] – 26 August 1876) was a New Zealand soldier and public servant.

He was born in Ghent, Belgium, the son of Lieutenant-General Henry Balneavis, a British Army officer and colonel commandant of the 65th Regiment.[2] At the age of 19, he was granted a commission in the 58th Regiment, which brought him to New Zealand in 1846.[1] He played key roles on the British side of the New Zealand Wars until 1958, when he retired on half-pay with the New Zealand War Medal and a grant of land at Maraetai, and again from 1862-1864 during which he was made a lieutenant-colonel.[1]

Balneavis married Meri Makarina Hineahua[3] (of Te Whakatōhea) and had six children: Hemaima, Louisa Hineiahua, Henry, Georgina, John Henry, and Mary.[4] Hemaima, or Jemima, married John Shera,[5] while John Henry's son was Te Raumoa Balneavis.[6]

He contested the 1858 Pensioner Settlements by-election, but was beaten by Captain Symonds.[7] Later he became Sheriff of Auckland as well as returning officer, and was the Italian Consul: as well as English he could also speak Italian, Arabic, Maltese, French, and Māori. At the time of his death he was especially remembered as the first violin of the Choral Society.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Death of Colonel Balneavis". Auckland Star. No. 2041. 28 August 1876. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  2. ↑ Clayton, Garry James. "Henry Colin Balneavis". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
  3. ↑ Garry James Clayton. 'Balneavis, Henry Colin', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1990. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1b2/balneavis-henry-colin (accessed 19 September 2022)
  4. ↑ Ranginui J. Walker. 'Balneavis, Hēnare Te Raumoa Huatahi', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1998. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, (accessed 19 September 2022)
  5. ↑ New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2877, 18 April 1873, Page 2, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18730418.2.12 (accessed 19 September 2022)
  6. ↑ Walker, Ranginui J. "Henare Te Raumoa Huatahi Balneavis". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  7. ↑ "The Elections". Daily Southern Cross. Vol. XV, no. 1132. 4 May 1858. p. 3. Retrieved 2 May 2013.


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