Henry Tancred (New Zealand politician)

Henry Tancred
Henry John Tancred ca 1882
New Zealand Legislative Council
In office 1856–1866
Personal details
Born	1816 England
Died	27 April 1884 Christchurch, New Zealand
Political party	Independent
Spouse(s)	Georgeanna Richmond, married 1857, no children

Henry John Tancred (1816 – 27 April 1884) was a 19th-century New Zealand politician.

Tancred was baptised on 14 May 1816 at the Isle of Wight. His father was Sir Thomas Tancred, 6th Baronet and his elder brother was Sir Thomas Tancred, 7th Baronet. He was educated at Rugby School. He served in the Austrian army and fought in Austria, Hungary and Italy. He was severely injured in a fall from a horse and had a speech impairment as a result.

Back in England to recuperate, he became interested in the Canterbury Association and decided to emigrate. He arrived in Canterbury in December 1850 from Wellington on the Barbara Gordon, just prior to the arrival of the first Canterbury settlers.

He married Georgeanna Janet Grace Richmond in Nelson on 30 July 1857.

Tancred was one of three candidates for the role of Superintendent in 1853. The election was won by James FitzGerald.

He became a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council at its establishment in 1853 and retained membership until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. In 1866, he was elected speaker of this council.

Tancred was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 1856 to 1866.

Tancred was a member of three ministries. He was appointed as a minister without portfolio in the 2nd Parliament in the Sewell Ministry, from 18 April to 20 May 1856.

In the first Stafford Ministry, which he joined on 5 August 1858 as a member of the executive council, he was appointed as Secretary for Crown Lands (19 August 1858) and three months later (3 November) Postmaster-General. He held those offices until the end of this government on 12 July 1861.