William Henry Colbeck

Colbeck was born in Batley, Yorkshire in 1823 and was baptised on 20 February.{{cite news |title=Obituary |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19010626.2.49 |access-date=10 December 2014 |work=Auckland Star |volume=XXXII |issue=150 |date=26 June 1901 |page=5}} His parents were William Colbeck (1783–1849) and Elizabeth Richardson ({{circa}} 1785 – 1856).{{cite web |last1=Tomlinson |first1=Vivien |title=William Henry Colbeck |url= http://www.vivientomlinson.com/batley/p145.htm#i4294 |publisher=Vivien Tomlinson's Family History |access-date=11 December 2014}} He was involved in the woollen manufacture with his brothers Isaac and Simeon, trading as Cheapside Mill in Batley, and after selling that factory, trading as Colbeck Bros. in Alverthorpe.{{cite news |title=The Late Captain Colbeck |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19010627.2.31 |access-date=10 December 2014 |work=The New Zealand Herald |volume=XXXVIII |issue=11690 |date=27 June 1901 |page=5}}

{{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=right}}

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{NZ election link year|1879}}

|end = 1881

|term = 7th

|electorate = {{NZ electorate link|Marsden}}

|party = Independent politician

}}

{{End}}

Colbeck emigrated to New Zealand in 1877 to join two of his sons in the Kaipara District. He enlarged the land holding and built a residence. Colbeck was a strong supporter of the construction of the North Auckland Line that would service the Northland Region. He laid out the township of Batley on the Kaipara Harbour as a settlement project, but nothing came of it.{{cite book | page=167 | editor-last = Scholefield | editor-first = Guy | editor-link = Guy Scholefield | title = A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : A–L | volume = I | year = 1940 | publisher = Department of Internal Affairs | location = Wellington | url = https://www.nzhistory.net.nz/files/documents/dnzb-1940/scholefield-dnzb-v1.pdf | access-date =10 December 2014}}

He represented the Marsden electorate from {{NZ election link year|1879}} to 1881, when he retired.{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840-1984 |edition= 4 |orig-year= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc= 154283103 |page=189}} In 1879 there were doubts about his election, and the Elections Validation Act, 1879{{cite web|url=http://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/hist_act/eva187943v1879n10331/ |title= Elections Validation Act, 1879 |publisher=New Zealand Law online }} validated the election of Cobeck and two other MHRs, Honi Mohi Tawhai and Wiremu te Wheoro.

He stood in the {{NZ election link|1887}} in the {{NZ electorate link|Rodney}} electorate, but was beaten by the incumbent, William Pollock Moat.

In about 1884, Colbeck moved to Auckland. He was well known as a businessman and president of the Bank of New Zealand, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and president of the Auckland Club.

On 9 August 1849, Colbeck married Martha Cordingley, the daughter of John Cordingley, at Halifax.{{cite web |last1=Tomlinson |first1=Vivien |title=Martha Cordingley |url= http://www.vivientomlinson.com/batley/p154.htm#i4558 |publisher=Vivien Tomlinson's Family History |access-date=11 December 2014}} He is listed as a manufacturer at Batley in the marriage advertisement, and his wife as being from nearby Boothtown.{{cite news |title=Married |work=Leeds Mercury |date=18 August 1840 |page=8}} His wife died on 4 June 1897 and was buried at St. Mark's Cemetery in Remuera.{{cite news |title=Untitled |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS18970607.2.11 |access-date=11 December 2014 |work=Auckland Star |volume=XXVIII |issue=131 |date=7 June 1897 |page=2}} Captain Colbeck died at his home in Gladstone Road, Parnell, on 25 June 1901.{{cite news |title=Deaths |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19010626.2.2.2 |access-date=10 December 2014 |work=The New Zealand Herald |volume=XXXVIII |issue=11689 |date=26 June 1901 |page=1}} He was survived by six sons and two daughters.

His son Frank Colbeck (1861–1941) was a life member of the Farmers' Union, and stood for the Country Party in three general elections.{{cite news |title=Death in 80th Year |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19410110.2.90 |access-date=11 December 2014 |work=The New Zealand Herald |volume=LXXVIII |issue=23860 |date=10 January 1941 |page=9}} In {{NZ election link year|1925}}, he came a distant fourth in the {{NZ electorate link|Rotorua}} electorate.{{cite book |title=The General Election, 1925 |year=1926 |publisher=Government Printer |url= https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&d=AJHR1926-I.2.2.6.39 |page=2 |access-date=20 November 2014}} In the {{NZ election link|1928}}, he came third in the {{NZ electorate link|Tauranga}} electorate.{{cite book |title=The General Election, 1928 |year=1929 |publisher=Government Printer |url= https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&cl=search&d=AJHR1929-I.2.3.2.37 |page=5 |access-date=29 November 2014}} In {{NZ election link year|1931}}, he again contested the Tauranga electorate and was third (and last) again.{{cite book |title=The General Election, 1931 |year=1932 |publisher=Government Printer |url= https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&d=AJHR1932-I-II.2.3.2.31 |page=4 |access-date=2 November 2014}}

{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par | nz}}

{{s-bef | before = Robert Douglas}}

{{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for Marsden|years=1879–1881}}

{{s-aft | after = Edwin Mitchelson}}

{{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colbeck, William H}}

Category:1823 births

Category:1901 deaths

Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives

Category:New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates

Category:People from Batley

Category:British emigrants to New Zealand

Category:19th-century New Zealand politicians