Benjamin Cribb (7 November 1807 – 11 March 1874)[1] was an Australian businessman and politician. He was an unaligned member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for one term in 1858-9 and a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly in 1861-7 and again in 1870-3.
Cribb was born in Poole, Dorset, England; the second son of a master mariner who was killed during the Napoleonic Wars. He was educated at his mother's Dame school and apprenticed to a merchant.[2] By 1832 Benjamin and his brother Robert, who was also a member of both the New South Wales and Queensland Parliaments, had established baking and retail businesses in London. Influenced by John Dunmore Lang's description of the opportunities available in Australia, they migrated to Moreton Bay in 1849. After arriving in the colony, Benjamin established a retail business in Ipswich which developed into the the Foote & Cribb department store. During the American Civil War he encouraged the growth and export of Australian cotton. He was married twice and two of his sons James and Thomas also served in the Queensland Parliament
Cribb was elected to represent Stanley Boroughs in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly at the 1858 election. He was a strong supporter of the separation of the colony of Queensland and opposed the use of convicts, coolies or Kanaks as cheap labour. He was defeated at the 1859 election[3] but after the foundation of Queensland, he was elected to its Legislative Assembly representing West Moreton between 1861 and 1867 and Ipswich between 1870 and 1873. He did not hold ministerial of parliamentary office.
| Parliament of New South Wales | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Thomas Holt |
Member for Stanley Boroughs 1858 – 1859 Served alongside: Richardson |
Succeeded by seat abolished |