George_Leake_(merchant)
George Leake (merchant)
Politician and merchant from Fremantle, Western Australia
George Leake (1786–1849) 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.
George Leake | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1786 |
| Died | (aged 64) Perth, Western Australia |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Banker |
| Spouse | Anne (Growse) Leake |
| Children | Ann Elizabeth Leake |
| Parent(s) | Luke Leake Ann Heading |
Early life
George Leake was born in 1786 in London, England.[lower-alpha 1] His father was Luke Leake, and his mother, Ann (née Heading, 1758–1836). He arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia in the Calista in August 1829 and quickly established himself as a merchant.
Career
He 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 was made chairman of the Perth Town Trust (later to become Perth City Council).
Personal life
He married Anne Growse, who died in 1815 leaving him with one daughter, Ann Elizabeth.
His nephew, George Walpole Leake, was a prominent Western Australian barrister and magistrate and father[1] of George Leake, Premier of Western Australia from 1901 to 1902.
Death
He died on 31 May 1849 in Perth, Western Australia.[2]
- "Family Notices". The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News. Vol. 8, no. 463. Western Australia. 5 December 1856. p. 3. Retrieved 11 March 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
- "Family Notices". The Perth Gazette And Independent Journal of Politics And News. Vol. 2, no. 74. Western Australia. 1 June 1849. p. 2. Retrieved 30 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- M. Medcalf, 'Leake, George (1786 - 1849)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 2, Melbourne University Press, 1967, pp 99–100.
- Dictionary of Australian Biography entry of his grandson, George Leake (Premier)
- 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.