Octavius Bayliffe Ebsworth

Octavius Bayliffe, wool-broker and manufacturer, was born in London in 1827. He came to Sydney in the Catherine Jamieson on 27 November 1848 with a speculative cargo and letters of introduction from various houses in Leeds. He found the colonial market depressed and about a year later went to San Francisco where he worked as a merchant and commission agent.

Back in Australia after a short time he was partner and probably manager of Thomas Barker's tweed mill in Sydney in 1853-54. In 1855 he became the wool specialist in Mort & Co. In 1858 after a dispute he was dismissed by Mort's partner, Ewen Cameron. He was soon reinstated, but the quarrel recurred and Ebsworth left and in 1860 set up in opposition next door. Though he had been a key man in Mort's firm and popular with the pastoralists, he failed to gain enough clients and was soon forced out of business. Despite his animosity against Cameron, he remained on good terms with Mort.

In 1860-70 he owned Barker's mill in Sussex Street, which manufactured a large variety of cloths and ginned local cotton for export to England during the American civil war. He also had a wool-washing establishment and bought wool, tallow, hide and cotton for numerous overseas and local firms. He was also a director of two investment and building societies, and an auditor of the City Bank and of a local branch of an insurance company. He was a foundation member of the Union Club in 1857 and held office in the Sydney Philharmonic Society.

At Christ Church, Sydney, on 6 July 1852 he had married Frances Mary Barker (1829-1914), second daughter of James Barker. Survived by his wife, four sons and a daughter, he died of diphtheria at Cintra, Burwood, on 23 June 1870 and was buried in St Stephen's churchyard, Camperdown. His estate was sworn at £8000.