Mr. Edward Reece, Founder of the firm of Edward Reece and Sons, was the son of a Shropshire farmer. After remaining some time on his father's farm, he went to Birmingham, where he acquired a practical knowledge of the hardware business, with a view to a future in the colonies. He had familiarised himself with colonial wants, and selected the new Canterbury settlement as the scene of his enterprise. Mr. Reece purchased a shipment of stock, and left England himself in the ship “Caroline Agnes” for Lyttelton, where he arrived on the 17th of August, 1855. He at once set about preparing the way in Christchurch for the business, which he carried on for many years; not, however, restricting his operations to Canterbury, but conducting large undertakings in other parts of New Zealand and in Fiji. Mr. Reece personally superintended the business till 1879, when he handed over the management to his son, Mr. W. Reece. As a colonist he was highly esteemed, both in his business relations and in private life. Mr. Reece died in 1887.