Henry Latham Currey

Henry Latham Currey (1863 – 1945),[1] also known as Harry Currey was a British politician in the Cape Colony.

Currey was the son of John Blades Currey and Mary Margaret Christian, daughter of Ewan Christian.[2] He was educated at The King's School, Canterbury and went then to Winchester College.[2]

Currey joined the Cape Civil Service in 1880, where he worked for six years.[2] He became private secretary to John X. Merriman in 1883 and then after one year to Cecil Rhodes, both personal friends of his father.[2] In 1887, Rhodes made him additionally secretary of the Consolidated Gold Fields of South Africa Ltd.,[3] a post he held until 1894, when they split over Currey's engagement.[4] Despite however the rift between them, Rhodes's friendship to the father did not change.[5]

In 1897, Currey was called to the bar by the Inner Temple.[1] He was elected to the Cape House of Assembly for George, Western Cape in 1902, sitting until 1910; the last two years as Minister without Portfolio in Merriman's government.[3] Following the formation of the Union of South Africa, he was returned to the House of Assembly of South Africa until 1915.[2]

He married Ethelreda Fairbridge, daughter of Charles Aken Fairbridge at St Paul's Church in Rondebosch and had by her three sons and two daughters.[6] Currey's wife died in 1941 and he survived her for four years, dying in Kenilworth, Cape Town.[1]