William Barnard Rhodes - Early Life

Early Life

He was a second officer on a merchant vessel by the age of 19, and by 1831 he had his own command. After visiting South America, Africa, and India, Rhodes ended up in Australia, where he formed a partnership with a local company to acquire land in New Zealand. Rhodes established his base of operations in Wellington in 1840, and the extensive farming ventures he established became very profitable. Before long he was able to buy out his partners in Sydney, and he became known as one of the richest people in Wellington. His business was originally based around exporting the produce from his farms, but later broadened to include imports, shipping, insurance and finance. At the same time, he continued to expand his holdings, buying and selling huge amounts of land.

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