Burges, William (1807 - 1876)

Born Fethard, Tipperary, Ireland, 23 Aug. 1807; died Fethard, Ireland, 16 Oct. 1876.

Arrived Swan River, WA, 1830. Farmed at Upper Swan, then York (1837), then Champion Bay (1850), where he was also Government Resident 1851-60.

In 1860 returned to Ireland but visited WA. 1868 & 1875-76, when MLC.

Collected c. 1858-60.

Specimens at K (c. 200 spp rec. June 1860), PERTH (2)

Source: George, A.S. (2009) Australian Botanist's Companion, Four Gables Press, WA. [consult for source references]

OBITUARY.

MR WILLIAM BURGES. Yet another of the remaining few who claim to be old identities in connection with the early settlement of Western Australia has joined the great majority. The English mail which arrived last week brought tidings of the death of Mr. William Burges, at his residence in Fethard, county Tipperary, Ireland. Mr. Burges was one of our most successful sheep farmers. Having first settled at York and reared a number of stock, he, about the year 1851, proceeded to Champion Bay, and settled at the Bowes River, on the fine estate known as Knockbrack. He was a Justice of the Peace, and was the first Resident Magistrate of the Victoria District — an office which even in those days was no sinecure, since his judicial duties kept him almost constantly employed in travelling from the Geraldine Mines down to Lynton, and then as far as the Irwin House, by way of Geraldton and the Greenough. In 1860 Mr. Burges retired and went to the old country, during which time he has only made two visits to the colony. When here on the last occasion he accepted a vacant nominee seat in the Legislative Council, but he resigned at the close of the session, and soon afterwards returned to Ireland, apparently in very feeble health through advancing years. Mr. Burges enjoyed a wide respect throughout the colony, as a frank, open-hearted, genial gentleman, charitable, and always ready to make amends if by chance he found himself to be in the wrong. Alive to the responsibilities he was under to the colony which had given him his hand some fortune, Mr. Burges was always liberal with his purse in promoting good objects, and one of his last acts of liberality, if we remember rightly, consisted in the giving of a £100 donation in aid of the Protestant Orphanage on the Swan.

Source: Extracted from: 'The Inquirer & Commercial News' (Perth, WA) Wednesday 13 December 1876, via Trove (viewed 20.12.2013)