Sir John Henry Pelly, 1st Baronet, DL (31 March 1777 – 13 August 1852) was an English businessman best known for his long tenure with the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), where he served as Governor for 30 years. He also held prominent positions such as Governor of the Bank of England from 1841-1842, Elder Brother and Deputy Master of Trinity House, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1835. Pelly was a Deputy Lieutenant of Essex from 1810 and a Commissioner for the Lord Lieutenant of the City of London and the Loan Office of Public Works and Fisheries. In addition to his HBC role, Pelly was involved in various business ventures. He owned timber plantations in Norway and was a partner in the Norway Merchants company with Charles Boulton and Henry Boulton. He also co-owned the ironmongery firm Jukes Coulson & Co. with Jukes Coulson and Paul Malin. As Governor of HBC, Pelly played a key role in organizing exploration parties that contributed to the discovery of the Northwest Passage and oversaw the 1849 colonization of Vancouver Island. He collaborated closely with Sir George Simpson, Governor-in-Chief of Rupert's Land, and was a partner in the London firm Pelly, Simpson & Co. and the Norwegian firm Pelly & Co.

John Pelly - Wikipedia