Benjamin Lester
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Lester was a British
politician and merchant involved in the Newfoundland fishery.
He was born in Poole
, England
, the son of Francis Lester, who was a merchant and also served as mayor of Poole, and the grandson of William Taverner
. His father was involved in the Newfoundland fish trade and Lester went to Newfoundland around 1737, working for another merchant from Poole involved in the fishery. He married his cousin Susannah Taverner around 1750. After the death of his employers, he entered the fish trade on his own, partnering with his brother Isaac. His operations were based in the area of Trinity
. During the 1760s, he began building a large brick house there, now preserved as the Lester-Garland house. In 1762, he was forced to temporarily surrender Trinity to the French
. Lester continued to return to Newfoundland for the fishing season until 1776. After that, he continued to manage operations from England and his business continued to expand until he owned a fleet of almost 30 ships. Lester was also involved in the trade in seal
s.
In England, he lobbied for the exclusion of the Americans
from the fish trade. He also opposed the concession of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
to France. Lester served as mayor of Poole in 1779 and from 1781 to 1783 and was a member of parliament representing Poole from 1790 to 1796.
After his death in Poole in 1802, his son-in-law George Garland
, who had married Lester's daughter Amy, took over the operation of the business which Lester had established.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
politician and merchant involved in the Newfoundland fishery.
He was born in Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of Francis Lester, who was a merchant and also served as mayor of Poole, and the grandson of William Taverner
William Taverner
William Taverner born Bay de Verde, Newfoundland Canada. Taverner, son of William Taverner was a plantation owner in St. John's in 1768 and by 1702 had business establishments in Trinity and Poole...
. His father was involved in the Newfoundland fish trade and Lester went to Newfoundland around 1737, working for another merchant from Poole involved in the fishery. He married his cousin Susannah Taverner around 1750. After the death of his employers, he entered the fish trade on his own, partnering with his brother Isaac. His operations were based in the area of Trinity
Trinity, Newfoundland and Labrador
Trinity is a small town located on Trinity Bay in Newfoundland and Labrador.The harbour at Trinity was first used by fishing ships around the 16th century. The Portuguese explorer Gaspar Corte-Real is said to have named this place because he arrived here on Trinity Sunday in 1501. It was settled by...
. During the 1760s, he began building a large brick house there, now preserved as the Lester-Garland house. In 1762, he was forced to temporarily surrender Trinity to the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Lester continued to return to Newfoundland for the fishing season until 1776. After that, he continued to manage operations from England and his business continued to expand until he owned a fleet of almost 30 ships. Lester was also involved in the trade in seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
s.
In England, he lobbied for the exclusion of the Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from the fish trade. He also opposed the concession of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France. It is the only remnant of the former colonial empire of New France that remains under French control....
to France. Lester served as mayor of Poole in 1779 and from 1781 to 1783 and was a member of parliament representing Poole from 1790 to 1796.
After his death in Poole in 1802, his son-in-law George Garland
George Garland
George Garland was an English politician and merchant involved in the Newfoundland fishery.He was born in East Lulworth, Dorset, the son of a yeoman farmer. In 1779, Garland married Amy Lester, the daughter of Benjamin Lester, who was involved in the fish trade, and became the manager for Lester's...
, who had married Lester's daughter Amy, took over the operation of the business which Lester had established.