William Barry

Who was William Barry?

William Peter Barry was a Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for the Electoral district of Carlton from July 1932 until April 1955. Barry was a member of the Australian Labor Party until March 1955, when he was expelled from the party as part of the Australian Labor Party split of 1955. He became, with Leslie Coleman in the Victorian Legislative Council, joint leader of the Australian Labor Party, a party that in 1957 became the Democratic Labor Party.

Barry was educated at St Brigid's School, North Fitzroy, Victoria and at St Georges School, Carlton, Victoria. He was a tobacco worker and union official before entering Parliament. He was considered close to John Wren, the Victorian entrepreneur.