George Ireland (businessman)
George Ireland (12 June 1801 – 9 February 1879) was a businessman and one of the founders of Ireland Fraser & Co. Today, known as Ireland Blyth Limited, it is the 2nd largest business group in Mauritius.[1] Ireland was born on 12 June 1801 to The Rev. Dr. Walter Foggo Ireland and his first wife, Jane Alves.[2] His father was a Church of Scotland minister at the North Leith Parish Church within the Presbytery of Edinburgh.[3] Ireland Fraser & Co. was founded on 1 July 1850 by George Ireland, Hugh Hunter and James Fraser.[4] The company provided shipping, insurance and general agent services for Mauritius' sugar trade.[5] The original name was Hunter Ireland & Co., but when Hugh Hunter left the company in 1860, the name was changed to Ireland Fraser & Co.[4] The company became Ireland Fraser & Co. Ltd. in 1927.[4] On 9 October 1856 at St. Paul Church of England, Princes Park, Liverpool, England, Ireland married Emily Hartshorne, the daughter of Hugh Hartshorne, a Barrister from Halifax, Nova Scotia.[6] The couple had two sons, George Hugh Ireland, who joined Ireland Fraser & Co. in 1877 and who became partner in 1879,[5] and Frederick Schomberg Ireland, a lawyer. Ireland's grandson, John Frederick Ireland, played cricket and made 28 first-class appearances between 1908 and 1912.[7] Ireland retired from Ireland Fraser & Co. on 30 June 1878,[5] and dying at Blackheath Park, Kent, England on 9 February 1879.[3] References
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