William Webb (Victorian politician)

Australian politician

The Honourable

William Telford Webb

Portrait of William Telford Webb

Commissioner of Public Works
In office
23 January 1893 – 27 September 1894
Premier| James Patterson
Preceded by| George Graham MP
Succeeded by| John Taverner MP
Minister of Agriculture
In office
23 January 1893 – 27 September 1894
Premier| James Patterson
Preceded by| George Graham MP
Succeeded by| John Taverner MP
Vice-President of the Board of Land and Works
In office
23 January 1893 – 27 September 1894

Serving with Richard Baker

Premier| James Patterson
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for Mandurang
In office
1 December 1903 – 1 May 1904
Preceded by| Max Hirsch
Succeeded by| Seat Abolished
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for Rodney
In office
1 April 1889 – 1 September 1897

Serving with James Shackell, Timothy Murphy, and Andrew White

Preceded by| Simon Fraser and Timothy Murphy
Succeeded by| John Mason and Duncan Gillies
Personal details
Born| 28 July 1842
Tullamore, Offaly, Ireland
Died| 17 January 1911
St Kilda, Victoria
Resting place| Rochester Cemetery, Rochester, Victoria
Spouse(s)| Elizabeth Alice Everitt, m. 24 October 1883, St Matthew's Church, Prahran
Parents|

* Richard Webb (father)
* Maria, née Telford (mother)

Occupation|

* Farmer
* Irrigationist
* Local government councillor
* Local government head

[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.[1]

## Career and politics[edit]

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.[1]

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.[1]

He contested the Electoral district of Mandurang in the 1903 Mandurang by-election but lost the seat shortly after in the 1904 state election.[1]

## Personal life[edit]

On 24 October 1883, he married Elizabeth Alice Everitt at St Matthew's Church in Prahran to which they had five daughters.[1]

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.[1]

## Reference List[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g McCarthy, Susan (1976). "Webb, William Telford (1842–1911)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 6\. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
2. ^ "Rochester Cemetery". Carol's Headstone Photographs. April 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
3. ^ "William Telford Webb". Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. 18 June 2019. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2023.

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