David Storey

Sir David Storey (18 August 1856 – 27 July 1924) was an Irish-born Australian politician and businessman. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1894 to 1920 and the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1920 until his death in 1924, representing the Free Trade Party and its successors the Liberal Reform Party and Nationalist Party. He was Minister of Public Health in the Nationalist ministry of William Holman in 1919–20.

Early life and business career

Storey was born and educated in County Monaghan, Ireland, the son of farmer Robert Storey and Margaret Colvin. After completing his education, he worked for softgoods merchant James Hartley in County Cavan and then as a representative of the firm of Lindsay Brothers Ltd. in north-western Ireland.

Political career

In 1894, he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the Free Trade member for Randwick, defeating future Prime Minister of Australia Edmund Barton. He joined the Liberal Reform Party in 1901. He led a group of 7 rebels who objected to Premier Charles Wade's autocratic leadership and his tactics at the 1910 election. He attempted to form a new political party, the Democratic Party, however that collapsed in October 1911 when the party refused to support a candidate to contest the Maitland by-election. Storey re-joined the Liberal Reform party before the 1913 election. In November 1916 Labor split over conscription, when Premier Holman and twenty of his supporters were expelled from the party. Storey helped to establish the grand coalition with Holman and his supporters and by 1917 this had coalesced into the Nationalist Party of Australia, which Storey claimed to have named.

Personal life

He married Rachel Agnes Doig in Sydney on 4 July 1883. and died in Randwick, New South Wales from pneumonia on and was buried at South Head Cemetery. He was survived by his wife Rachel, daughter and 4 sons.

Arms