George Le Fevre was born in March, 1848, at Harrold, Bedfordshire, England, and was the second son of Caleb Le Fevre, at farmer, of Huguenot origin. He was educated at Kimbolton Grammar School, and in 1866 came to Victoria., where he was engaged in business in the firm of Gordon and Gotch, of Melbourne, up to 1873, but in that year he decided to study medicine, and returned to Great Britain for that purpose. He first chose the University of Glasgow as his alma mater, working there for eighteen mouths. chiefly under Professor Allen Thomson. In 1875, he left Glasgow for Edinburgh, where he remained, graduating as M.B. Ch. M., in 1877; also taking the L.S.A. Lond. in the same year, At Edinburgh he worked under Sir Robert Christison and Professor Joseph Lister, where he became thoroughly imbued with the principles of antiseptic surgery taught by the latter.
Towards the end of 1877 he arrived in New South Wales, in medical charge of the ship "Bruckley Castle,” and after a few months came to Melbourne, where he soon established himself in practice. In the following year he was elected Honorary Assistant Surgeon to the Melbourne Hospital. In 1882, he obtained his M.D. degree at Edinburgh, his thesis on "Post-partem Haemorrhage" obtaining for him the distinction of honours.
He married Miss Lamrock, third daughter of Mr. J. Lamrock of N.S.W. His wife predeceased him, leaving five children.
Dr. Le Fevre was for many years an active member of the Medical Society of Victoria., in which he at various periods held the positions of Hon. Librarian and Hon. Treasurer, and in 1890 he was elected President of the Victorian Branch of the British Medical Association.
In 1884, Dr. Le Fevre was appointed Surgeon to the Footscray and Williamstown Batteries First Brigade Militia Garrison Artillery, and in the same year was elected a Member of the Legislative Council for the North Yarra Province. From this time up to his death, he was almost more engaged in public and business affairs than in medical practice. He was a director of several companies. In 1888, he was re-elected to his seat in the Council and was one of the Commissioners of the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition 1888-9.
In his capacity as a member of the Legislative Council, Dr. Le Fevre supported the profession and public health, and took a particular interest in the Medical Practitioners’ Bill. It was also his earnest wish to see an amalgamation of the two leading Medical Societies.
In May 1891, he visited Europe, commissioned by the Government to represent the Colony at the Seventh International Congress on Hygiene and Demography in August. He died of typhoid fever, at Glasgow, on the 17th October, 1891.
Last updated 16 May 2025. Compiled by Allan Mawdsley.
Main source: Obituary, Australian Medical Journal, 15 Nov 1891, p.554.