Exhibit 99.1


                              MECH FINANCIAL, INC.

           THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

         The  undersigned  shareholder of MECH  Financial,  Inc. hereby appoints
Robert G.  Rayve and John J.  Meehan,  or  either  of them,  with full  power of
substitution  in each,  as  proxies  to cast all  votes  which  the  undersigned
shareholder  is entitled to cast at the Special  Meeting of  shareholders  to be
held at 10:00 a.m., local time, on Tuesday,  June 20, 2000, at Hartford Club, 46
Prospect Avenue, Hartford,  Connecticut, 06103, and at any adjournments thereof,
upon the following matters. The undersigned shareholder hereby revokes any proxy
or proxies heretofore given.

         This proxy will be voted as  directed by the  undersigned  shareholder.
UNLESS CONTRARY DIRECTION IS GIVEN, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED: (1) TO APPROVE AND
ADOPT AN  AGREEMENT  AND PLAN OF MERGER,  DATED AS OF DECEMBER 1, 1999,  AND THE
AMENDMENT  NUMBER 1 THERETO,  DATED AS OF DECEMBER  21,  1999,  BETWEEN  WEBSTER
FINANCIAL  CORPORATION AND MECH FINANCIAL,  INC., PURSUANT TO WHICH MECH WILL BE
ACQUIRED BY WEBSTER, THE MERGER PROVIDED FOR THEREIN, AND THE OTHER TRANSACTIONS
CONTEMPLATED BY THE AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER;  AND (2) ANY OTHER BUSINESS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE  DETERMINATION OF A MAJORITY OF THE MECH BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
The  undersigned  may revoke  this  proxy at any time  before it is voted by (i)
delivering  to Lael K. Noel,  Corporate  Secretary  of MECH a written  notice of
revocation  before the special meeting,  (ii) delivering to MECH a duly executed
proxy bearing a later date before the special meeting, or (iii) by attending the
special  meeting  and  voting in  person.  The  undersigned  shareholder  hereby
acknowledges  receipt  of a Notice  of a Special  Meeting  of MECH and the proxy
statement/prospectus of Webster dated May 5, 2000.

         If you  receive  more than one proxy  card,  please sign and return all
cards in the accompanying envelope.

         PROPOSAL 1:
                  To approve and adopt the agreement  and plan of merger,  dated
                  as of December 1, 1999, between Webster Financial  Corporation
                  and MECH Financial, Inc., as amended on December 21, 1999, the
                  merger  of  MECH  into  Webster  and  the  other  transactions
                  contemplated  by the merger  agreement,  as  described  in the
                  proxy statement/prospectus.

                  [__]   FOR            [___]    AGAINST         [___]   ABSTAIN


         PROPOSAL 2:
                  The proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as
                  may  properly  come  before  the  special   meeting,   or  any
                  adjournments  or  postponements  of  the  meeting,  including,
                  without limitation, a motion to adjourn the special meeting to
                  another  time  and/or  place  for the  purpose  of  soliciting
                  additional  proxies in order to approve  the merger  agreement
                  and the merger or otherwise.


           (CONTINUED AND TO BE DATED AND SIGNED ON THE REVERSE SIDE)







                                    Date:
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                                    Signature(s) of Shareholder(s) or
                                    Authorized Representative(s)

                                    Please  date and sign  exactly  as your name
                                    appears on this proxy card.  Each  executor,
                                    administrator,       trustee,      guardian,
                                    attorney-in-fact  and other fiduciary should
                                    sign and  indicate  his or her  full  title.
                                    When  stock  has been  issued in the name of
                                    two or  more  persons,  all  persons  should
                                    sign.