WEBB, HENRY RICHARD (1829-1901) was born in New South Wales, where his parents arrived in the previous year. Educated at Sydney College, he entered mercantile life and became a member of the firm of Fergusson, Webb and Co. In 1851 he visited Auckland and in 1868 settled in Canterbury, having the management of Peacock's wharf until the creation of the harbour board. For 13 years he was manager of the Permanent Investment and Loan Association of Canterbury. He was M.P.C. for Lyttelton (1869-75), and a member of the executive as provincial secretary in the winding-up period; and M.H.R. for Lyttelton (1873-75). Webb interested himself actively in education, was chairman of the Lyttelton school committee, for 18 years a school commissioner of Canterbury, a member and chairman of the North Canterbury education board, a governor of Canterbury College from its inception (and chairman 1893-1901). He was president of the photographic section of the Philosophical Institute and a fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society of London (1880). In church matters he was a member of the diocesan synod and chairman of committees and a member of the general synod. He married (1857) a daughter of J. J. Peacock (Sydney). He was a keen horticulturist in New South Wales and chairman of the Christchurch society. Webb died on 12 Feb 1901. (See J. T. PEACOCK.)

Family information; Cycl. NZ., iii (p); Hight and Candy (p); Lyttelton Times, 13 Feb 1901.

Reference: Volume 2, page 241

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