Friederich Liebe

Friederich Wilhelm Gustav Liebe (18 January 1862 – 4 March 1950) was a building contractor and farmer in Western Australia.[1]

Early life

Liebe was born on 18 January 1862 in Wittenberg, Prussia, to father Edward Liebe. When he was 15, he left school to become a builder's apprentice. Following the completion of his apprenticeship, he moved to Vienna and attended a technical school where he studied building. Liebe helped to construct the Budapest Opera House, before joining a partnership with his brother-in-law Joseph Klein. They worked on Bulgaria's National Assembly Building, and constructed military barracks, colleges, and a bridge.[1]

Australian builder

Liebe and Klein moved to Adelaide, South Australia in 1885, and later to Melbourne after their work was noticed by Melbourne-based architects. While based in Carlton Liebe built the markets at Newmarket and houses in Carlton.[1]

In 1892 Liebe left Melbourne for Perth, Western Australia. He broke off his partnership with Klein in 1896, and established himself as a builder with premises on Murray Street by 1900, the year he was naturalised. He collaborated with architects such as Porter & Thomas, J. H. Grainger and W. G. Wolf, to build many monumental buildings.[1] His most notable works include Queen's Hall, His Majesty's Theatre, the 1908 Art Gallery of Western Australia building, and the Peninsula Hotel.[1][2] He also constructed several other hotels, banks, and railway stations for the Midland Railway Company of Western Australia.[1]

Agriculture

Liebe had bought 2,400 hectares (6,000 acres) of land at Wubin in 1908.[3] At the outbreak of World War One, with the construction industry declining, he redirected his attention to agriculture. He sold his construction business in 1914, cleared his land, and established a wheat crop. In 1929–30 Liebe produced 100,000 bags of wheat, an Australian record.[1][2] The Great Depression saw him lose £52,900, so Liebe sold properties he owned in Perth, and diversified into sheep farming. By 1945 he had a flock of 23,000 sheep which yielded more than 450 bales of wool.[1]

Death and legacy

Liebe died, unmarried, on 4 March 1950 in Perth.[4] He was buried in Dalwallinu cemetery's Congregational section. At probate, his estate was valued at £194,768.[1][5]

The Liebe Group, a non-profit farming research group originally called LBW, was renamed after Friederich Liebe.[6]

Liebe was recognised as one of the most influential Western Australian businesspeople in The West Australian's 2013 list of the 100 most influential.[2]

References

Birman, Wendy (1986). "Liebe, Friederich Wilhelm Gustav (1862–1950)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 10. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
Harvey, Ben; Hatch, Daniel (29 November 2013). 100 most influential: The business leaders who shaped WA – 1829-2013 (PDF). The West Australian. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
"A colourful career ended last Saturday with the Death Of a Famous Wheatgrower". Western Mail. Western Australia. 9 March 1950. p. 21 (The WESTERN MAIL COUNTRYMAN'S MAGAZINE). Retrieved 7 February 2020 – via Trove.
"DEATH OF NOTED BUILDER AND FARMER". The West Australian. Western Australia. 6 March 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 7 February 2020 – via Trove.
"Future of Liebe Estate". Geraldton Guardian. Western Australia. 23 November 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 7 February 2020 – via Trove.
"Grower Group marks 20 years of innovation in farming". People in Agriculture. 24 September 2017. Archived from the original on 18 March 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2020.