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
editBorn 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
edit- ^ 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