George Yorke Hubble

(1858-1892)

Hubble Street East Fremantle is named after George Yorke Hubble. Originally from the Goldfields in Victoria Hubble arrived in WA in the 1880s. In 1890 he married into a powerful Fremantle Family, marrying Amelia Johanna (Minnie) Pearse (daughter of William Silas Pearse and the Glyde family) and they had one son. Amelia died in 1892.

Hubble and his business partner David Symon, a member of the WA Parliament, became general furniture merchants and builders ironmongers in Fremantle (establishing the firm Symon, Hammond, & Hubble which occupied the Esplanade Hotel just after its construction in the the late 1880s). They also became agents for Brighton Estate, an area in the now Richmond Ward.

Hubble became a storekeeper in Carnarvon in 1896 and MLA for the Gascoyne (1897 to 1901). He was declared bankrupt at this time and despite starting business again with his old partner- remained financially insecure. George remarried in 1903 to Blanche Harrison.

In 1906 his body was found in East Perth. He had cut his own throat and still had the razor in his hand. A verdict of suicide was reported at the inquest and a note in his pocket read:

“21st March 1906. My dearest wife - I cannot stand this strain any longer. May God forgive me for dying in this rash act. It is too bad the way people wronged me...I think I am mad with worry...I’m done here and I know it - Your loving husband.” (reference)