Sir Westby Brook Perceval (11 May 1854 – 23 June 1928) was a New Zealand politician of the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

Biography

Perceval was born in

Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () or () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, Launceston has a population of 87,645. Material was copied ...

in 1854. His mother was Sarah Brook (née Bailey) and his father was her husband, Westby Hawkshaw Percival, an Irish member of the

mounted police Mounted police are police who patrol on horseback or camelback. Their day-to-day function is typically picturesque or ceremonial, but they are also employed in crowd control because of their mobile mass and height advantage and increasingly in the ...

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 ...

. In the early 1860s, the family moved to

Rangiora Rangiora is the largest town and seat of the Waimakariri District, in Canterbury, New Zealand. It is north of Christchurch, and is part of the Christchurch metropolitan area. With an estimated population of Rangiora is the 30th largest urba ...

in New Zealand, a township north of

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

. He received his early education at Merton's school, where he became friends with

William Pember Reeves William Pember Reeves (10 February 1857 – 16 May 1932) was a New Zealand politician, cricketer, historian and poet who promoted social reform. Early life and career Reeves's parents were William Reeves, who was a journalist and politician ...

. In 1867 he won a junior Somes scholarship to

Christ's College, Christchurch Christ's College, Canterbury is an independent Anglican secondary day and boarding school for boys, located in the city centre of Christchurch, New Zealand. Founded in 1850 by Reverend Henry Jacobs in Lyttelton as a school for early settlers, ...

. At the age of 16, in May 1870, he was received into the Catholic church. He completed his secondary education at

Stonyhurst College Stonyhurst College is a co-educational Catholic Church, Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Society of Jesus, Jesuit tradition, on the Stonyhurst, Stonyhurst Estate, Lancashire, England. It occupies a Grade I listed building. Th ...

in England. In 1872, he inherited sufficient land upon his father's death that he had a secure income. Perceval was a lawyer in Christchurch. He represented the Christchurch South electorate from the 1887 general election to the end of the parliamentary term in 1890, and then the City of Christchurch electorate from the 1890 general election to September 1891, when he resigned. For the last three months in Parliament, he was Chairman of Committees. He was made Agent-General to the United Kingdom from 1891 to 1896, and then Agent-General for Tasmania from 1896 to 1898. Perceval was appointed a Knight Commander of the

Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III. ...

(KCMG) in the 1894 New Year Honours. He died in

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

, England, in 1928.

Family

Perceval married Jessie Johnston, daughter of John Johnston, in 1880. They had three sons: *Francis Westby Perceval (born 1882), barrister. He married in 1912 Dorothy Anne Cecilia Thornton. *Alan John Westby Perceval (born 1884), clergyman. *Major-General Christopher Peter Westby Perceval (born 1890), Royal Artillery.

Notes

References

* * * , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Perceval, Westby Brook 1854 births 1928 deaths New Zealand Roman Catholics New Zealand Liberal Party MPs 19th-century New Zealand lawyers Australian emigrants to New Zealand People educated at Christ's College, Christchurch People educated at Stonyhurst College Politicians from Christchurch New Zealand MPs for Christchurch electorates Independent MPs of New Zealand High Commissioners of New Zealand to the United Kingdom Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Politicians from Launceston, Tasmania New Zealand Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George 19th-century New Zealand politicians Johnston family