George Henry Frederick Webb (1828 – 26 September 1891) was a judge of the

Supreme Court of Victoria The Supreme Court of Victoria is the highest court in the Australian state of Victoria. Founded in 1852, it is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited and inherent jurisdiction within the state. The Supreme Court comprises ...

. Webb was born in London, England, the son of Samuel Ody Webb, a naval officer, and his wife Isabella, ''née'' Sweet. As a youth Webb entered the office of

William Brodie Gurney William Brodie Gurney (1777–1855) was an English shorthand writer and philanthropist of the 19th century. Biography Gurney was the younger son of Joseph Gurney, shorthand writer, who died at Walworth, Surrey, in 1815, by a daughter of William ...

, the famous parliamentary shorthand writer, and soon became proficient in stenography. Webb emigrated to

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, Victoria, in 1852, and was for some time a reporter on ''The Argus''. In 1855 Webb was appointed shorthand writer to the Government of Victoria. Having decided to embrace the legal profession, he attended the lectures on law given at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

Henry Samuel Chapman Henry Samuel Chapman (21 July 1803 – 27 December 1881) was an Australian and New Zealand judge, colonial secretary, attorney-general, journalist and politician. Early life Chapman was born at Kennington, London, the son of Henry Chapman, Engl ...

and Wilberforce Stephen and subsequently read in the latter's chambers. In 1860 Webb was called to the Victorian Bar and appointed a lecturer on law at the University of Melbourne. The latter appointment he quickly resigned, as also the position of Government shorthand writer in 1866. Having for a long period been recognised as the leader of the Equity Bar in Victoria, he was in 1874 offered the puisne judgeship rendered vacant by the retirement of Edward Williams. He declined, however, being reluctant to accept a drop in income. Having become Q.C. and continued to practise with unrivalled success, he was elevated to the Bench on 4 May 1886 in place of the retiring Sir Robert Molesworth, and fulfilled his judicial functions down to the time of his death. Though on several occasions a candidate, he never succeeded in securing his return to the

Victorian Legislative Assembly The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria in Australia; the upper house being the Victorian Legislative Council. Both houses sit at Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The presiding ...

, and was also defeated when he contested a seat in the

Victorian Legislative Council The Victorian Legislative Council (VLC) is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria, Australia, the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit at Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Co ...

. Webb, who was a member of the Congregational body, died at his residence,

Caulfield, Victoria Caulfield is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Glen Eira local government area. Caulfield recorded a population of 5,748 at the 2021 census. It is bound ...

, near Melbourne, on 26 September 1891, at the age of sixty-four.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Webb, George Henry Frederick 1828 births 1891 deaths Judges of the Supreme Court of Victoria Lawyers from London English emigrants to colonial Australia Colony of Victoria judges 19th-century English lawyers