George Westbrook

George Westbrook
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

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.

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
^ ^a ^b Death of G.E.L. Westbrook Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1939, p4
^ ^a ^b 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

[1] The Turnbull Library Record, p19

[2] In the South Seas Evening Post, 1 October 1936

[PIM1-3] Death of G.E.L. Westbrook Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1939, p4

[PIM2-4] G.E.L. Westbrook: Author of "Gods That Die" Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1935, p19

[5] With the Parliamentary Papalangi New Zealand Free Lance, 28 April 1920

[6] Personalities and Pasts in Samoa Samoanische Zeitung, 12 August 1927

[7] The Gaudin Case Press Association, 4 January 1915

[M18-8] Lauofo Meti (2002) Samoa: The Making of the Constitution, National University of Samoa, p18

[9] Meti, p19

[10] Meeting of Creditors Samoanische Zeitung, 14 September 1928

[11] Samoan deportations New Zealand Herald, 27 December 1927

[1]