 The following day the Liberals selected Russell Rea, the managing director of ship-owning company R. & J. H. Rea.However, in the early 1880s Liverpool-born Rea had relocated his head office to Leadenhall Street in London, and lived in Hackney.His main line of business was in shipping coal for the South Wales coalfields, and despite his shipping interests, "The Times" reported a claim that Rea was not a member of the Liverpool Steamship-Owners Association.