Obituaries Australia

George Hebden, n.d.

from Pastoral Review, 16 September 1924

(By an Old Friend.)

By the death of George Hebden I lose a friend of nearly sixty years' standing, having first met him in 1866 when I was engaged by his father to undertake the management of Brookong, N.S.W.

George Hebden, who was 76 when he died, was the eldest and only surviving son of the late George Hebden, of Maharatta, Bombala, N.S.W., who was one of our pioneer pastoralists. After leaving school George spent five years in the Bank of Victoria, but his heart was set on a life in the bush, and he soon became a successful and careful station manager and owner. Subsequently he was well known as a breeder of very fine Suffolk Punch horses, and he was also successful with his Romney Marsh sheep.

Of late years George Hebden and Mrs. Hebden, who was a cousin of the late well-known "Sam" McCaughey, came to live in Sydney.

My old friend was one of the kindest and most generous of men, but he was of a very retiring disposition, and abhorred notoriety, and hid his light under a bushel. He was one of those who did not let his right hand know what his left did. Only his wife, who was at one with him in all his good work, knew how liberally George Hebden helped in every way in connection with the late awful war, and of all his thousand and one acts of kindness and generosity. George did not seek to make friends, but his sterling qualities made many friends for him. He was much liked and greatly esteemed and respected. He was almost meticulously honourable, and if there is one word that would seem to sum up his character it is the word staunchness. You could absolutely rely on him. He was so very dependable, a loyal true friend, kind and considerate.

I must not say any more, for he would hate to have his praises sounded.