Prosper de Mestre

Prosper de Mestre
Born
Jean Charles Prosper
de Mestre

(1789-08-15)15 August 1789
Lorient, Brittany, France
Died14 September 1844(1844-09-14) (aged 55)
"Terara", Greenwell Point, Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia
NationalityFrench
Other namesProsper Mestre;

John Charles Prosper
de Mestre
CitizenshipFrench, American, Australian
Occupation(s)Merchant, importer,
business leader
Spouse(s)Mary Ann Black
(1801-1861)
Children10 children:

Prosper Jean
(Prosper John)
de Mestre
(1821-1863)
Andre Cotteral
de Mestre
(1823-1917)
Helen Mary Williams
nee de Mestre
(1825-1907)
Sarah Louisa Wason
nee de Mestre
(1827-?)
Melanie Isabella Lovegrove
nee de Mestre
(1829-1925)
Etienne Livingstone
de Mestre
(1832-1916)
Mary Ann Hart
nee de Mestre
(1834-1925)
Katherine Dorothy Ramsay
nee de Mestre
(1836-1905)
Louisa Jane Hutchison
nee de Mestre
(1839-?)

Annette Marland Slade
nee de Mestre (1841-1936)
Parent(s)André Charles de Mestre
(c.1756-1794)
& Helene Thomasse Cottrel
(1768-1851)

Jean Charles Prosper de Mestre (15 August 1789– 14 September 1844), known as Prosper de Mestre, was a French-born prominent businessman in Sydney from 1818 until near his death in 1844. He was a "citizen of the world", (His citizenship was listed as French, American and Australian) who played an important role in the development of commerce and banking in the British Colony of New South Wales. He became a successful merchant and business leader in Sydney. In 1825 he became the second person to be naturalised in the Colony. In addition to being one of the early directors of the Bank of New South Wales (the predecessor of Westpac) between 1826 and 1842, he was also a founder of the local insurance industry, a member of the committee of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales, and became involved in importing, shipping and whaling. There are numerous references to his business activities in the Colonial Secretary's papers of the day.