George Leake (merchant)
Encyclopedia
George Leake was a wealthy landholder in the early days of the Swan River Colony
. Backed with considerable assets, Leake supported many of the early settlers of the colony who were struggling financially. He arrived at Fremantle
in the Calista in August 1829 and quickly established himself as a merchant.
Leake was instrumental in the establishment of the first Bank of Western Australia which was established in June 1837, becoming its first chairman of directors. In 1839 he was one of four unofficial nominees of the Western Australian Legislative Council
, retaining his seat until his death. He was appointed magistrate in 1839 and mas made chairman of the Perth Town Trust (later to become Perth City Council).
He married Anne Growse, who died in 1815 leaving him with one daughter, Ann Elizabeth.
George Leake was an uncle of George Walpole Leake
, a prominent Western Australian barrister and magistrate and great-uncle of George Leake
, Premier of Western Australia
from 1901 to 1902.
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
. Backed with considerable assets, Leake supported many of the early settlers of the colony who were struggling financially. He arrived at Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
in the Calista in August 1829 and quickly established himself as a merchant.
Leake was instrumental in the establishment of the first Bank of Western Australia which was established in June 1837, becoming its first chairman of directors. In 1839 he was one of four unofficial nominees of the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
, retaining his seat until his death. He was appointed magistrate in 1839 and mas made chairman of the Perth Town Trust (later to become Perth City Council).
He married Anne Growse, who died in 1815 leaving him with one daughter, Ann Elizabeth.
George Leake was an uncle of George Walpole Leake
George Walpole Leake
George Walpole Leake was a Western Australian barrister and magistrate and nephew of George Leake...
, a prominent Western Australian barrister and magistrate and great-uncle of George Leake
George Leake
George Leake CMG QC was Premier of Western Australia from 27 May 1901 to 21 November 1901, and again from 23 December 1901 until his death on 24 June 1902.-Early life:...
, Premier of Western Australia
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
from 1901 to 1902.
See also
- Members of the Western Australian Legislative Council, 1832-1870Members of the Western Australian Legislative Council, 1832-1870Western Australia was a crown colony from its establishment in 1829 as the Swan River Colony until the advent of representative government in 1870. During this time executive and legislative power was vested in the Governor of Western Australia, but from 1832 he had Executive and Legislative...
- Leake family treeLeake family treeA number of members of the Leake family were prominent and notable individuals in the Swan River Colony and the history of Perth, Western Australia - and the History of Western Australia....
Further reading
- Chapman, Jenny.(1965) Perserverando : the Leake family in the political, economic and social life of W.A., 1829-1902, with particular reference to George Leake (1786-1849), Sir Luke Samuel Leake (1828-1886), and George Leake (1856-1902) held in Battye Library.