Henry Gregory

Who was Henry Gregory?

Henry Gregory was an Australian politician. Born in Kyneton, Victoria, where he was educated, he moved to the Western Australian goldfields in 1894. He became Mayor of Menzies Shire as well as a stockbroker, farmer and press proprietor. In 1897, he was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly as the member for North Coolgardie, transferring to Menzies in 1901. He served as Minister for Mines 1901-1904, Minister for Mines and Railways 1905-1911, and acting Premier and Treasurer 1910-1911. He left the Assembly in 1911, and in 1913 was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the member for Dampier, representing the Commonwealth Liberal Party. In 1917, together with the rest of his party, he became a Nationalist. In 1920, the Country Party was formed, and Gregory was one of several Nationalist MPs to join it. He was the party's Deputy Leader from 21 April 1921. The abolition of Dampier led him to contest Swan in 1922, while party colleague and member for Swan John Prowse contested the new seat of Forrest. He lost the deputy leadership in 1927. He held the seat until his death in 1940.