Herbert Curtis

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title: "Herbert Curtis" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1818-births", "1890-deaths", "members-of-the-new-zealand-house-of-representatives", "new-zealand-mps-for-south-island-electorates", "19th-century-new-zealand-politicians", "burials-at-wakapuaka-cemetery"] description: "New Zealand politician (1818–1890)" topic_path: "people/1810s" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Curtis" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary New Zealand politician (1818–1890) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

Field	Value
name	Herbert Curtis
image	Herbert Curtis (1860, cropped).jpg
caption	Curtis in 1860
constituency_MP1	Motueka and Massacre Bay
parliament1	New Zealand
term_start1	19 May 1856
term_end1	5 November 1860
constituency_MP3	Motueka
parliament3	New Zealand
term_start3	5 February 1861
term_end3	30 October 1865
birth_date	1818
birth_place	England
death_date	10 August 1890 (aged 72)
death_place	Toi Toi Valley, Nelson, New Zealand
birthname	Herbert Evelyn Curtis
relations	Oswald Curtis (brother)
occupation	Politician
profession	Merchant
::

|honorific-prefix = |name = Herbert Curtis |image = Herbert Curtis (1860, cropped).jpg |alt = |caption = Curtis in 1860 |constituency_MP1 = Motueka and Massacre Bay |parliament1 = New Zealand |majority1 = |term_start1 = 19 May 1856 |term_end1 = 5 November 1860

|constituency_MP3 = Motueka |parliament3 = New Zealand |majority3 = |term_start3 = 5 February 1861 |term_end3 = 30 October 1865

|birth_date = 1818 |birth_place = England |death_date = 10 August 1890 (aged 72) |death_place = Toi Toi Valley, Nelson, New Zealand |restingplace = |restingplacecoordinates = |birthname = Herbert Evelyn Curtis |nationality = |spouse = |relations = Oswald Curtis (brother) |children = |residence = |alma_mater = |occupation = Politician |profession = Merchant Herbert Evelyn Curtis (1818 – 10 August 1890) was a Member of Parliament in Nelson, New Zealand. He was also a merchant, in partnership with his brother Oswald.

Early life

Curtis was born in 1818 in England. He was the son of Stephen Curtis and Eleanora Llewellyn. Together with his younger brother Oswald, he migrated to Nelson in 1853, arriving on 18 June. Curtis married Annie Lineker on 4 March 1863 at Christ Church Cathedral.

''Mahomed Shah''

The Curtis brothers had been passengers on the barque Mahomed Shah. The ship sailed from England for New Zealand on 15 January 1853. On 18 April, about 400 nmi south of Cape Leeuwin, the ship caught fire. All on board were rescued two days later by the brig The Ellen under Captain Pardon. The Ellen was sailing from Mauritius to Hobart, Tasmania. The ship's position was given as . Those rescued were taken to Hobart, arriving there on 6 May 1853.

Political career

|start = |end = 1860 |term = 2nd |electorate = |party = Independent politician |start = 1861 |end = 1866 |term = 3rd |electorate = |party = Independent politician He represented the Motueka and Massacre Bay electorate from to 1860, then the Motueka electorate from 1861 to 1866, when he retired. His brother Oswald was elected to the City of Nelson (New Zealand electorate) in 1866.

In the later years of Nelson Province, he was the provincial auditor. He was never elected onto the Nelson Provincial Council.

Commercial life

Herbert and Oswald Curtis were partners as merchants in Nelson. They were Nelson agents for the New Zealand Steam Navigation Company.

Death

He died at his residence The Aspens in Nelson's Toi Toi Valley on 10 August 1890 aged 72. He is buried at Wakapuaka Cemetery.

References

|-

References

1. (1940). "A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : A–L". [[Department of Internal Affairs]].
2. (3 March 1902). "Obituary". [[The Colonist (New Zealand newspaper).
3. (3 March 1902). "Obituary". [[Nelson Evening Mail]].
4. (6 March 1863). "Marriages". [[The Colonist (New Zealand newspaper).
5. (15 March 1920). "A pioneer settler". [[The Colonist (New Zealand newspaper).
6. (17 March 1920). "A pioneer settler". [[The Colonist (New Zealand newspaper).
7. Wilson, Jim. (1985). "New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984". V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer.
8. "Curtis, Herbert Evelyn, 1818–1890". [[National Library of New Zealand]].
9. (11 August 1890). "Death". [[Nelson Evening Mail]].
10. (11 August 1890). "Untitled". [[Nelson Evening Mail]].
11. "Herbert Evelyn Curtis". [[Nelson City Council]].

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