Richard Sampson

Richard Stanley Sampson (16 November 1877 – 16 February 1944) was an Australian politician who was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1921 until his death, representing the seat of Swan. He was a minister in the first government of Sir James Mitchell.

Early life Sampson was born in Hurtle Vale, South Australia, to Mary Ann (née Trengove) and Richard Sampson. Having been apprenticed to a printer in South Australia, he moved to Perth, Western Australia, in 1894, where he initially worked on The Inquirer & Commercial News. In 1896, Sampson founded his own printing company, which printed newspapers, magazines, and books (some of which Sampson wrote). He later also became the managing director of United Press Ltd (later Country Newspapers Pty Ltd), which owned various country newspapers. A prominent member of the community, Sampson served for periods on the Leederville and North Perth Municipal Councils, and was later elected to the Darling Range Road Board, serving as chairman from 1909 to 1928. In August 1922, he was elevated to the ministry in place of Frank Broun, becoming Colonial Secretary and Minister for Public Health.

The Country Party split into two rival factions in 1923, with Sampson joining the Ministerial (or Government) faction, which comprised supporters of the coalition with the Nationalist Party. After the 1924 election, which saw the defeat of the Mitchell government, he and several other Country MPs joined the Nationalist Party. Sampson remained in parliament until his death in Perth in February 1944. He had married Ethel Esther Woodcock in 1900, but they had no children.