Thomas Webb

Thomas Edward Burgess Webb

(was the brother of James Webb²)

Born: 1829, Lambeth, Surrey.
On the 1851 census he is living at York Road, Battersea with his brother James and family. He was a coppersmith journeyman at Price's candles in Battersea and a founder / director of the Co-operative Wholesale Society.

He married Catherine Young (pictured right) in Speldhurst Aug 12th 1854, who was a remarkably independent woman whose interests were astronomy and polar exploration.
On the 1861 census they are living in Falcon Road, Battersea with their children Thomas and Catherine, as well as his sister, Mary Ann.
Thomas Edward Burgess Webb was a founder (in 1884) and first president of the Co-operative Permanent Building Society. He also founded the Battersea and Wandsworth Co-operative Society and was a director of the CWS and the Co-operative Printing Society. In the book "Brick Upon Brick" (a history of the Co-operative Permanent Building Society 1884-1934) by Albert Mansbridge it says: "It is fitting that his life's work should be commemorated as it is by a bust in the premises of the Co-Operative Wholesale Society in London".
They were living at 6 Knox Road, Battersea at the birth of Arthur on 8th July 1868
On the 1871 census they are living at 52 West Street? Battersea. Thomas is a coppersmith.
On the 1881 census thay are living at the Co-operative Stores, Plough Lane, Battersea. Thomas is clerk to the Cooperative Society

Their children:

Thomas Webb

Born 26th August 1857
Address at birth: 4 Wilson Street Battersea
Died on 14th June 1866 aged 8 of valvular disease of the heart (7 months) and dropsy (6 weeks). He died at home: Battersea Rise, Battersea and his father T E B Webb was present at the death.
In the photo Thomas is 6 years old and is pictured with Catherine his sister aged 4.

Catherine 'Kate' Webb

born: 1859, Battersea, London
died: 29th July 1947, aged 89, 162 Coombe Lane, London. Living at the time at 6 Blenheim Road Raynes Park, London.
English co-operative leader.
In 1886 Catherine founded the Battersea branch of the Women's Co-operative Guild in London, and lectured throughout England on behalf of the Guild during the 1890s. She later became a member of the Central Board of the Co-operative Union. Industrial Co-operation, which she edited in 1904, became the standard text about the movement and in 1927 she wrote a history of the Women's Guild called Woman with a Basket from where the photo on the right is taken. Later she became involved with adult education, being a lecturer and then a governor of Morley College, in south London.

Arthur Webb

Born 8th July 1868
He worked as a secretary, then FCIS, JP in 1915.

Arthur worked alongside his father in the Co-operative movement. He was made secretary in 1892 of the Co-operative Permanent Building Society. Albert Mansbridge wrote: "If ever a society was built with one man as its centre and focus, it is the Co-operative Permanent Building Society." He was appointed Managing Director in 1927, after 36+ years as secretary. Again from Albert Mansbridge's book: "The annual general meeting enthusiastically approved the suggestion of the board that his portrait should be painted and hung in the new offices, and that a replica should be presented to him. As a result, Mr Harold Knight A.R.A, the well known artist, was commissioned to paint the portrait." Click here for the amazing story of how I came to have this painting in my possession in 2006!

He has an entry in the 1924 edition of Kelly's handbook.
Married Mabel Elizabeth Edwards, (daughter of George Edwards) in 1899 who is shown on the 1891 census as a journalist and author. As "Mrs Arthur Webb", Mabel became a well-known broadcaster and author, appearing regularly on BBC radio presenting cookery programmes and publishing many books on the topic of food between the 1930s and 1950s.

In 1947 they were living at 6 Blenheim Road, Raynes Park, London.
They had two daughters, Gwynneth Margaret Burgess Webb (b.1900 d.1982) Gwyneth's obituary in a newspaper reads:
Miss Gwynneth Webb, who died aged 82, was a Wimbledon magistrate who played a leading part in encouraging the arts in London. She was a founder member of the Greater London Art Association in 1966 and the prime mover in the formation of the Merton Arts Council.
She played the leading part in setting up the Merton Fesitval in 1972, which is now in its 11th year and has been imitated in other London boroughs as well as further afield. She was associated with the Wimbledon music festival for more than 20 years and was on the standing committee of the London Council of Social Service.

and Rhona Catherine Burgess Webb, OBE (born 1902) who married into the Cadbury (chocolate) family! They also had two sons Thorold Arthur Burgess Webb born 1904, Kingston and Seymour Bryan Burgess Webb born 1905, Kingston.
Thorold's engagement to Enid Rowlands was announced in The Times newspaper on Saturday 30th July 1937:

Frank Webb

born 18th April 1862, Falcon Road, Battersea
Emigrated to Canada where a new Canadian branch of the Webb family tree was born.

Herbert Webb

b. London also emigrated to Canada. Died Port Alberni B.C.