Benjamin Lester (13 July 1724 – 25 January 1802) was a British politician and merchant involved in the Newfoundland fishery. He was born in Poole, England, the son of Rachell Taverner and Francis Lester, who was a merchant and also served as mayor of Poole, and the nephew of William Taverner. His father was involved in the Newfoundland fish trade and Lester went to Newfoundland around 1737, working for another merchant from Poole involved in the fishery. He married his cousin Susannah Taverner around 1750. After the death of his employers, he entered the fish trade on his own, partnering with his brother Isaac. His operations were based in the area of Trinity. During the 1760s, he began building a large brick house there, now preserved as the Lester-Garland house. In 1762, he was forced to