Background
Colbeck was born in Batley, Yorkshire in 1823 and was baptised on 20 February.
Colbeck was born in Batley, Yorkshire in 1823 and was baptised on 20 February.
He enlarged the land holding and built a residence. Colbeck was a strong supporter of the construction of the North Auckland Lincolnshire that would service the Northland Region. He laid out the township of Batley on the Kaipara Harbour as a settlement project, but nothing came of lieutenant
He represented the Marsden electorate from 1879 to 1881, when he retired.
He stood in the 1887 election in the Rodney electorate, but was beaten by the incumbent, William Pollock Moat. In about 1884, Colbeck moved to Auckland.
He was well known as a businessman and president of the Bank of New Zealand, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and president of the Auckland Club. On 9 August 1849, Colbeck married Martha Cordingley, the daughter of John Cordingley, at Halifax.
Captain Colbeck died at his home in Gladstone Road, Parnell, on 25 June 1901.
In 1925, he came a distant fourth in the Rotorua electorate. In the 1928 election, he came third in the Tauranga electorate. In 1931, he again contested the Tauranga electorate and was third (and last) again.