Thomas Edward Burgess Webb (July 1829 – 2 December 1896) was an English co-operator who was for 45 years a leading figure in the Battersea and Wandsworth Co-operative Society, as well as involvement in the People's Co-operative Society, Co-operative Permanent Building Society, Co-operative Printing Society, and the Co-operative Wholesale Society. Two of his children, Catherine and Arthur, were themselves prominent co-operators.

Biography

Webb was born in July 1829 in

Battersea Battersea is a large district in south London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and extends along the south bank of the River Thames. It includes the Battersea Park. History Batter ...

, London, to James and Mary Ann Webb (). From a young age until 1878 he worked as a coppersmith at Price's Candle Factory in Vauxhall. In 1854 he married Catherine Young, with whom he would have five children, including the co-operators Catherine and

Arthur Webb Arthur Stuart Webb (6 August 1868 – 3 December 1952) was an English first-class cricketer. Webb was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace. Webb made his first-class debut for Hampshire County Cricket Club in the 1895 ...

. In 1854 he was a founding member of the Battersea and Wandsworth Co-operative Society, serving on the committee until 1860, then as the chairman until 1874, then as secretary until 1878. From 1878 to 1890 he served as permanent secretary and manager of the society, then from 1890 until his death as honorary president of the society. He served as the first president of the People's Co-operative Society. From 1884 he was a founding member and chairman of the Co-operative Permanent Building Society, and was on the board of the Co-operative Printing Society from 1866. From 1874 until his death he served as a director of the Co-operative Wholesale Society. He died in Raynes Park, London, on 2 December 1896 and was survived by his wife and four of his children. He is buried in St Mary's Cemetery,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Webb, Thomas Edward Burgess 1829 births 1896 deaths People from Battersea British cooperative organizers