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Vaughan, Most Reverend Roger William Bede, D.D., Archbishop of Sydney, N.S.W., came of one of the oldest country families in England, and was the second son of Colonel Vaughan of Courtfield, Herefordshire, where he was born on Jan. 9th, 1834. He was educated by private tutors until 1851, when he was sent to St. Gregory's Roman Catholic College at Downside, near Bath. In 1853 he entered on his novitiate, was professed in the following year, and went to Rome in 1856 to complete his study of divinity. He was ordained priest in 1859 by Cardinal Patrick in the Church of St. John Lateran. Returning to Downside in 1861, he engaged in parish work, and was made Professor of Philosophy in the Benedictine Institution at St. Michael's, near Hereford, and in the next year was elected to the Cathedral priorship, which he held until his appointment as coadjutor to the late Archbishop Polding of Sydney in 1873. He arrived in New South Wales in December, and on the death of the archbishop was nominated his successor in March 1877, being consecrated in Sydney. After a brilliant archiepiscopate of six years, Dr. Vaughan left Sydney on a visit to the old country, and died suddenly of heart disease two days after his arrival in England, when staying at Ince Blundell Hall, the Lancashire seat of his uncle, Mr. Thomas Weld Blundell, on August 17th, 1883. The archbishop's remains were temporarily interred in the chapel there, but in Feb. 1887 were removed to their final resting-place at St. Michael's Priory, Hereford, negotiations with his successor, Cardinal Moran, for their removal to St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, having proved fruitless.
Vaughn, Robert Matheson, M.L.A., formerly represented Grenfell in the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, but was defeated by Mr. Greene at the general election in 1889. He was Secretary for Mines in the last Robertson Ministry, from Dec. 1885 to Feb. 1886. At the General Election in 1891 he was again returned for Grenfell as a labour candidate.
Venables, Henry Pares, who was appointed Secretary to the Education Department of Victoria on the initiation of the free, secular and compulsory system under the Act passed by the late Mr. Justice Stephen, died at Bowerwood, Fordingbridge, England, on Dec. 31st, 1890.
Venn, Hon. Harry Whittall, M.L.A, Minister of Public Works, Western Australia, was born in South Australia on Oct. 27th, 1844, and after being engaged in commercial pursuits at Robe in that colony, became connected with the Denison Plains Pastoral Association in Western Australia in 1864. After doing much valuable exploring work in the north of Western Australia, Mr. Venn purchased a large estate at Bunbury, and represented Wellington in the old Legislative Council down to its dissolution. In Dec. 1890 he was appointed Minister of Public Works in the Government formed by Mr. Forrest after the concession of responsible government, and was elected to the newly constituted Legislative Assembly for Wellington. Mr. Venn, who took a prominent part in the agitation for responsible government, and was chairman of the Commission on Agriculture in 1887, married a daughter of the late George Shenton and sister of Hon. George Shenton, M.L.C.
Verdon, Edward Theophilus de, Commissioner of Titles, Victoria, was appointed Commissioner of Titles in succession to Mr. T. P. Webb, who acted temporarily after the death of Mr. Bunny in June 1886.
Verdon, Hon. Sir George Frederick, K.C.M.G., C.B., J.P., F.R.S., F.R.G.S., eldest son of the Rev. Edward Verdon, M.A., perpetual curate of St. Ann's, Tottington, Bury, Lancashire, by Jane Frances, daughter of Dr. George Hobson, was born on Jan. 21st, 1834, at Pendleton, and educated at Rossall School. He went to Melbourne in 1851, and engaged in commercial pursuits. He was called to the Victorian Bar in April 1863, and was elected to the Municipal Council of Williamstown and appointed Chairman of the Municipal Conference held at Melbourne for the consideration of the laws relating to municipal institutions.
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