George Henry Bennett
Encyclopedia
George Henry Bennett was a brewer and a politician.
Bennett emigrated to Australia in 1855.
He managed the Victoria Sugar Co. and later, with a partner, owned Excelsior Brewery, a porterbrewing business. Excelsior Brewery operated in Collingwood
and Richmond
. As larger brewers took over the local market, Excelsior moved to manufacturing aerated waters and cordials at Richmond
. He took over sole control of the company from August 1883.
In 1880 Bennett was elected to the Richmond
town council and, in turn, was elected Mayor in 1886. As Mayor
he was also elected as the second President of the fledgling Richmond Football Club
, commencing with the 1887 season. He held this post for the next twenty-two years until his death. During his tenure the club won its first two Victorian Football Association premierships and gained admittance to the more powerful Victorian Football League.
A liberal
and protectionist
, he was elected to the seat of Richmond in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
in 1889 and was then re-elected at the next seven elections.
Bennett died of pneumonia
at his home on 8 September 1908. He was survived by his wife, Jessie, and two of their three daughters.
His bust stands outside the Richmond Town Hall
.
Bennett emigrated to Australia in 1855.
He managed the Victoria Sugar Co. and later, with a partner, owned Excelsior Brewery, a porterbrewing business. Excelsior Brewery operated in Collingwood
Collingwood, Victoria
Collingwood is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
and Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
. As larger brewers took over the local market, Excelsior moved to manufacturing aerated waters and cordials at Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
. He took over sole control of the company from August 1883.
In 1880 Bennett was elected to the Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
town council and, in turn, was elected Mayor in 1886. As Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
he was also elected as the second President of the fledgling Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
, commencing with the 1887 season. He held this post for the next twenty-two years until his death. During his tenure the club won its first two Victorian Football Association premierships and gained admittance to the more powerful Victorian Football League.
A liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
and protectionist
Protectionism
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.This...
, he was elected to the seat of Richmond in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
in 1889 and was then re-elected at the next seven elections.
Bennett died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at his home on 8 September 1908. He was survived by his wife, Jessie, and two of their three daughters.
His bust stands outside the Richmond Town Hall
Richmond Town Hall
Richmond Town Hall is a civic building located on Bridge Road in Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.After the amalgamatian of the City of Richmond with the City of Collingwood and the City of Fitzroy in 1994 to form the new City of Yarra, the Town Hall became the corporate headquarters for...
.