NATTRASS, Luke 1803?–1875

Arrived New Zealand 1837 to investigate possibilities of a flax dressing industry. Returned to England to report, and came back to New Zealand 1839 with a number of Irish workers; lived in Wellington near Charles Heaphy. The flax venture being unsuccessful in Wellington, Nattrass moved c.1840 to Nelson, and in partnership with Nathaniel Edwards tried again. On the evidence of notes on the Turnbull copy of the key to his view, Nattrass visited Wellington and drew a panorama from which a lithograph was made, on 2nd and 3rd May 1841 ‘from on board the Brougham then just starting for London’. The second flax business also failing, Nattrass became Librarian of the Nelson Institute until forced by ill-health to retire 1874.