Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Dibbs, George Richard
DIBBS, Sir GEORGE RICHARD (1834–1904), premier of New South Wales, born in Sydney on 12 Oct. 1834, was youngest son of Capt. John Dibbs, formerly of the East India Co.'s service. He was educated in Sydney at St. Philip's Church of England school and at Dr. Lang's Australian College. In 1857 he joined his father-in-law in a sugar refinery which passed into other hands. In 1859 he formed a shipping business, joined by his brother next year, in Sydney and Newcastle (New South Wales), and started a successful branch at Valparaiso. In 1866 the firm became bankrupt on the failure of the Agra bank. Later the creditors were paid in full, and Dibbs & Co. became one of the foremost firms in Sydney. In 1868 he toured through Europe and the British Isles. In 1871 he was cast in a libel suit and spent a year in Darlinghurst debtors' prison rather than pay damages.
At forty years of age he began his political career, advocating republicanism and free trade. He was one of the leading members of the Public Schools League, which championed free compulsory and secular education in state primary schools. In 1874 he was elected one of the members for West Sydney of the legislative assembly of New South Wales. In 1877 he was defeated, but in 1882 was returned for St. Leonards. In January 1883 he became treasurer and colonial secretary in the ministry of Sir Alexander Stuart [q.v.]. At this time, owing to enormous sales of crown land, the state coffers were overflowing with money. The Stuart-Dibbs government passed a law stopping these sales. On 7 Oct. 1885 Sir George Dibbs succeeded Sir Alexander Stuart as premier, first holding the office of colonial secretary, then that of treasurer. His ministry was defeated on 22 Dec. 1885. From 26 Feb. 1886 to January 1887 he was colonial secretary in the Jennings ministry. In 1887 he lost his seat at St. Leonards to Sir Henry Parkes [q. v. Suppl. I], but was immediately returned by the Murrumbidgee. From 17 Jan. to 6 March 1889 he was again premier and colonial secretary. During his new term of office he declared his conversion from free trade to protection and succeeded in carrying a tariff. His republican views had undergone modification, and in March 1891 he was appointed a delegate to the federation convention held in Sydney, in spite of Sir Henry Parkes' s objection on the ground of his republican sympathies. On 23 Oct. 1891, on the defeat of Sir Henry Parkes's ministry, Sir George Dibbs became, for a third time, premier and colonial secretary. In June 1892 he visited England as premier of his colony and on a special mission to reassure London capitalists of the financial stability not only of New South Wales but of Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. He was largely successful in his mission, and was created K.C.M.G. on 23 July 1892. In 1893 a financial crisis followed, many banks closed their doors, and the panic was stopped only by the prompt action of Sir George Dibbs's government in giving the banks a state guarantee. His popularity was thereby immensely increased, but he himself became bankrupt. He resigned his seat, while retaining the premiership, and was at once re-elected. At the elections in July 1894 he was defeated, and resigned office. He retired from political life in July 1897 and from that date was managing trustee of the savings banks of New South Wales till his death at Sydney on 5 Aug. 1904.
He married in 1857 Annie Maria, daughter of Ralph Meyer Robey, of the legislative council of New South Wales. Two sons and nine daughters survived him.
[Mennell's Dict. of Australas. Biog.; British Australasian, 18 Aug. 1904; Sydney Mail, 10 Aug. 1904.]