William Webb (Victorian politician) explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
William Telford Webb
Birth Date:28 July 1842
Birth Place:Tullamore, Offaly, Ireland
Death Date:17 January 1911
Death Place:St Kilda, Victoria
Restingplace:Rochester Cemetery, Rochester, Victoria
Mother:Maria, née Telford
Father:Richard Webb
Spouse:Elizabeth Alice Everitt, m. 24 October 1883, St Matthew's Church, Prahran
Occupation:
  • Farmer
  • Irrigationist
  • Local government councillor
  • Local government head
Office1:Commissioner of Public Works
Term Start1:23 January 1893
Term End1:27 September 1894
Premier1:James Patterson
Office2:Minister of Agriculture
Term Start2:23 January 1893
Term End2:27 September 1894
Premier2:James Patterson
Office3:Vice-President of the Board of Land and Works
Term Start3:23 January 1893
Term End3:27 September 1894
Premier3:James Patterson
Alongside3:Richard Baker
Constituency Am4:Mandurang
Assembly4:Victorian Legislative
Term Start4:1 December 1903
Term End4:1 May 1904
Predecessor4:Max Hirsch
Successor4:Seat Abolished
Constituency Am5:Rodney
Assembly5:Victorian Legislative
Term Start5:1 April 1889
Term End5:1 September 1897
Alongside5:James Shackell, Timothy Murphy, and Andrew White
Predecessor5:Simon Fraser and Timothy Murphy
Successor5:John Mason and Duncan Gillies
Footnotes:[1] [2] [3]

William Telford Webb (1842-1911) was an Australian farmer and politician. Born in Tullamore, he arrived to Melbourne, Australia on 28 January 1859 on the Black Eagle. In 1863, he went to the Dunstan goldfields in New Zealand but returned to Australia shortly after due an extreme snowstorm that affected the area.

Career and politics

He first entered politics when he was elected as the farming representative in the Shire of Rochester from 1873 to 1892. He also served as the shire's president from 1877 to 1879. He ran as a candidate in the 1883 election for Electoral district of Rodney in the Legislative Assembly but was unsuccessful. He sought election again in the 1889 election and went on to become the member for Rodney alongside James Shackell, Timothy Murphy, and Andrew White. He held the seat up until 1 September 1897 and during that time, served as the Commissioner of Public Works, Minister of Agriculture, and Vice-President of the Board of Land and Works.

In 1889, Webb became an agent and grain-buyer for farmers, he ran a milling and butchering business, and started a yeomanry store on Mackie Street, Rochester. He also held a large share in Fresh Food and Frozen Storage Co. Ltd which ran creameries, butter factories and cool rooms throughout Victoria. The company was a subject and later censured by the 1905 Royal Commission on the butter industry.

He contested the Electoral district of Mandurang in the 1903 Mandurang by-election but lost the seat shortly after in the 1904 state election.

Personal life

On 24 October 1883, he married Elizabeth Alice Everitt at St Matthew's Church in Prahran to which they had five daughters.

In 1909 he suffered a stroke in which he partially paralysed. He later died from heart failure while on holiday in St Kilda, Victoria on 17 January 1911.

Notes and References

  1. Susan . McCarthy . Webb, William Telford (1842–1911) . 6 . 1976 . webb-william-telford-4824 . 10 April 2023.
  2. Web site: Rochester Cemetery . Carol's Headstone Photographs . 10 April 2023 . April 2017.
  3. William Telford Webb. 932. 18 June 2019. 10 April 2023.