George Frederic Verdon
Encyclopedia
Sir George Frederic Verdon (21 January 1834 - 13 August 1896) was an English Australian politician and public figure.
Verdon was a son of the Rev. Edward Verdon, he was born at Bury, Lancaster, England. He was educated at Rossall School
, and when 17 years of age emigrated to Melbourne
. Obtaining a position in the office of Grice Sumner and Company he afterwards went into business at Williamstown, and began his public career as a member of the local municipal council. He was chairman of a conference of municipal delegates and soon afterwards published in 1858 a pamphlet on The Present and Future of Municipal Government in Victoria. He was elected a member of the legislative assembly for Williamstown in 1859, and in November 1860 joined the Heales
ministry as treasurer. He resigned with the ministry in November 1861 but in June 1863 became treasurer in the McCulloch
ministry which remained in office until May 1868.
During the parliamentary recess in 1866 Verdon was sent to England to bring the question of the defences of Victoria
before the English authorities. He succeeded in obtaining £100,000 towards the cost of a warship, the Cerberus, and the Nelson was given to Victoria as a training-ship. Verdon also floated a loan for public works, and obtained sanction for the establishment of a branch of the Royal Mint at Melbourne. After his return he suggested the advisability of the colony having a representative in London, and in 1868 the office of agent-general was created, and Verdon was appointed to the position for a period of four years. He made a most favourable impression in London, he had been given the companionship of the bath in 1866, and in 1872 he was created K.C.M.G. He was also elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1870. On his giving up the agent-generalship he accepted the position of colonial inspector and general manager of the English Scottish and Australian Chartered Bank, Melbourne.
He was interested in science, art and literature, as a young man he had been an honorary assistant in the Melbourne observatory, and when treasurer he saw that it was properly equipped; he collected objects of art, and became a trustee of the public library, museums and national gallery of Victoria in 1872, was elected vice-president in 1880, and president in 1883. He held this position until his death and showed much interest in the various collections.
Verdon was a son of the Rev. Edward Verdon, he was born at Bury, Lancaster, England. He was educated at Rossall School
Rossall School
Rossall School is a British, co-educational, independent school, between Cleveleys and Fleetwood, Lancashire. Rossall was founded in 1844 by St. Vincent Beechey as a sister school to Marlborough College which had been founded the previous year...
, and when 17 years of age emigrated to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. Obtaining a position in the office of Grice Sumner and Company he afterwards went into business at Williamstown, and began his public career as a member of the local municipal council. He was chairman of a conference of municipal delegates and soon afterwards published in 1858 a pamphlet on The Present and Future of Municipal Government in Victoria. He was elected a member of the legislative assembly for Williamstown in 1859, and in November 1860 joined the Heales
Richard Heales
Richard Heales , Victorian colonial politician, was the 4th Premier of Victoria.Heales was born in London, the son of an ironmonger. He was apprenticed as a coachbuilder and migrated to Victoria with his father in 1842. He worked for some years as a labourer before establishing himself as a...
ministry as treasurer. He resigned with the ministry in November 1861 but in June 1863 became treasurer in the McCulloch
James McCulloch
James McCulloch is also the name of the cashier of the Baltimore branch of the Second National Bank of the United States. This James McCulloch was not involved in the McCulloch vs. Maryland U.S. Supreme Court case....
ministry which remained in office until May 1868.
During the parliamentary recess in 1866 Verdon was sent to England to bring the question of the defences of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
before the English authorities. He succeeded in obtaining £100,000 towards the cost of a warship, the Cerberus, and the Nelson was given to Victoria as a training-ship. Verdon also floated a loan for public works, and obtained sanction for the establishment of a branch of the Royal Mint at Melbourne. After his return he suggested the advisability of the colony having a representative in London, and in 1868 the office of agent-general was created, and Verdon was appointed to the position for a period of four years. He made a most favourable impression in London, he had been given the companionship of the bath in 1866, and in 1872 he was created K.C.M.G. He was also elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1870. On his giving up the agent-generalship he accepted the position of colonial inspector and general manager of the English Scottish and Australian Chartered Bank, Melbourne.
He was interested in science, art and literature, as a young man he had been an honorary assistant in the Melbourne observatory, and when treasurer he saw that it was properly equipped; he collected objects of art, and became a trustee of the public library, museums and national gallery of Victoria in 1872, was elected vice-president in 1880, and president in 1883. He held this position until his death and showed much interest in the various collections.