Christopher Henry (Chris) Webb (1866 to 1948) - The seventh child of William (Bill) and Sarah Wagg
We all know him as "Chris Webb" but Henry Christopher Wagg was born on 17 October 1866 at Blues Point, NSW. While all the Webb Wagg and Trickett boys were great sailors, Chris was the greatest of them all!
Some details of Chris's family life will be followed by the words on his life and sailing achievements from The Australian Dictionary of Biography.
In 1892, Chris married Ellen Eliza (Nellie) Rogers at Redfern. Nellie was born on 19 November 1873 in Redfern. Her mother was Annie Eliza Rogers. Her birth registration doesn't record the name of her father (NSW 5106/1873).
Chris and Nellie had 3 daughters-
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| Thank you to "Arncliffejack" who shared this on ancestry.com.au on 12 September 2015 |
Some details of Chris's family life will be followed by the words on his life and sailing achievements from The Australian Dictionary of Biography.
In 1892, Chris married Ellen Eliza (Nellie) Rogers at Redfern. Nellie was born on 19 November 1873 in Redfern. Her mother was Annie Eliza Rogers. Her birth registration doesn't record the name of her father (NSW 5106/1873).
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| Thank you to "James Andrew Hudd"who shared this on ancestry.com.au on 04 June 2015 |
Chris and Nellie had 3 daughters-
- Violet Manning (Vi) was born in 1893 in Sydney and died on 31 January 1978 in Northbridge, NSW. Violet married Henry (Harry) Price on 16 February 1918 at Christ Church, Lavender Bay, NSW. Henry was born in 1893 in Newtown, NSW and died on 12 February 1972 at Northbridge. They had four children - Henry Christopher, Joyce Gwenda, Gloria May and Shirley June.
- Mabel Zoe Glencora (May) was born in 1895 in Sydney and died on 28 September 1970 at Mosman, NSW. May married George William Ravell on 21 September 1918 at Christ Church, Lavender Bay. George was born in 1883 in Foster, NSW and died on 18 June 1964 at Hornsby, NSW. They had three children - Jean Elsie, Joan May and Kenneth George.
- Elsie Christina was born in 1902 in Sydney and died on 10 September 1976 in Punchbowl, NSW. Elsie married Russell Edward Johnston on 28 May 1927 at Christ Church, Lavender Bay. Russell was born in 1901 in Sydney and died on 10 January 1984 at Punchbowl. They had one son, Bruce.
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| Chris Webb 1925 |
"Chris began working for his father (a yachtsman who was known as 'Old Billy Webb') on lighters carrying stone for St Patrick's College, Manly. Starting his racing as for'ard hand for his brother Charlie, Chris first won as helmsman with the 14-foot canvas dinghy, Latona, in 1884 when he took the J. W. Durning trophy. In later seasons he skippered the 'fourteen', Violet, to twelve wins, and in 1891-93 the 24-footer, Mantura, to eleven.
By 1903 Webb had won 100 races and been placed 118 times in 23 yachts of various classes, but his reputation as 'the best-known, the most successful, and perhaps the most popular skipper of open sailing boats on the waters of Port Jackson' was gained in 18-footer races. Pioneered by Mark Foy, these handicap events over a triangular course on Sydney Harbour, featuring craft with coloured sail identifiers, became a popular sport from 1891. Crews included working watermen, and owners were often boat-builders. Spectators watched from Clark Island and from ferries; illegal betting enhanced the excitement. Webb came to dominate local events, probably receiving some of the owners' prize-money. He also contested intercolonial and Australian 'eighteen' championships, winning with Sam Williams's Australian in Brisbane in 1897, with W. M. 'Watty' Ford's Australian (formerly Arline) in Perth Flying Squadron Challenge Cup races in 1908 (in Perth), 1909 (Sydney) and 1910 (Perth), with Golding in the 1912 Interstate Championship (Sydney) and with Australian in the 1914 Mark Foy Challenge Cup (Perth).
Employed until the 1930s by Sydney Ferries Ltd as a night-watchman who also dampened engine fires and hosed decks, Webb lived at North Sydney; about 1924 he moved to a boatshed and refreshment kiosk which he ran at The Spit, Middle Harbour. Returning to competition in 1922, with George Press's H. C. Press II he won the Mark Foy Challenge Cup in 1924 (Sydney), 1925 (Perth) and 1927 (Sydney). He last contested an Australian championship in 1937.
This incomparable record and his longevity as a helmsman were due to his knowledge of rigging and trimming, and to acquaintance with 'every swirl of a Harbour eddy': one journalist quipped that Webb could get 'the most for his boat out of a fishtail swish'. Short, quiet (nicknamed 'Rowdy'), moustached and pipe-smoking, he was 'cool, skilful and reliable'; his face 'tanned by many an exposure to strong winds and hot suns, wears a rather thoughtful expression. His dark brown eyes, deep set, show an undaunted nature'. Predeceased by his wife and survived by their three daughters, he died on 9 June 1948 at Beauty Point, Mosman, and was buried with Anglican rites in Northern Suburbs cemetery. In March 1942, aged 75, Webb had won his last 'eighteen' race in Sydney; it was for the title, 'Cock o' the Harbour'."
Here are links to previous posts on-
Chris was always spoken about with much fondest and affection as I was growing up. All the family were involved in his sailing - nephews were "bailer boys" on his boats, brothers took their grandchildren to see him race and have a little wager on the side! Sailing was a family affair for the Webb Waggs and the Tricketts!
Late last year, I spent a wonderful afternoon with Chris's great-granddaughter, Beverley. Her family lived with Chris at the end of his life and she shared many stories which just reinforced all that I'd heard about Chris Webb over the years.
