George Westbrook
George Egerton Leigh Westbrook (1860–31 January 1939) was a Western Samoan businessman and politician. He was a member of the Legislative Council from 1924 until 1929.
George Westbrook | |
---|---|
Member of the Legislative Council | |
In office 1924–1929 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 1860 Camberwell, United Kingdom |
Died | 31 January 1939 (aged 78) Apia, Western Samoa |
Profession | Businessman |
Biography
Born in Camberwell in London England,[1] Westbrook sailed to New Zealand on the full-rigged ship Famenoth, before beginning to travel the Pacific.[2] He moved between Tahiti, the Marshall Islands and the Caroline Islands,[3] before settling in Samoa in 1891.[4] He became a shop keeper,[5] married a Samoan woman,[6] and was the Apia correspondent for the New Zealand Herald.[7]
In January 1924 Westbrook successfully contested the first elections to the Samoan Legislative Council, becoming one of the first three elected members.[8] He was re-elected in the 1926 elections.[9] In 1928 Westbrook was declared bankrupt,[10] and he did not run for re-election in 1929. Like fellow elected members Olaf Frederick Nelson and Arthur Williams, he was a member of the anti-colonial Mau movement.[11]
In 1935 he published an autobiographical book named Gods Who Die: The Story of Samoa's Greatest Adventurer about his travels around the Pacific in the late 19th century.[4]
He died on 31 January 1939 at the age of 78.[3]
References
- The Turnbull Library Record, p19
- In the South Seas Evening Post, 1 October 1936
- Death of G.E.L. Westbrook Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1939, p4
- G.E.L. Westbrook: Author of "Gods That Die" Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1935, p19
- With the Parliamentary Papalangi New Zealand Free Lance, 28 April 1920
- Personalities and Pasts in Samoa Samoanische Zeitung, 12 August 1927
- The Gaudin Case Press Association, 4 January 1915
- Lauofo Meti (2002) Samoa: The Making of the Constitution, National University of Samoa, p18
- Meti, p19
- Meeting of Creditors Samoanische Zeitung, 14 September 1928
- Samoan deportations New Zealand Herald, 27 December 1927