11 Facts About William Schey

William Schey entered the New South Wales Parliament in 1887, serving until his electoral defeat in 1898.

William Schey initially served as one of four Free Trade members for the Electoral district of Redfern in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

William Schey was not a strong supporter of free trade and had disagreements with the leader Sir Henry Parkes.

William Schey had such strong connections with railway employees and the Eveleigh Railway Yards he was dubbed the member for Eveleigh.

Multi-member districts were abolished in 1894, and William Schey stood as an Independent Labour candidate for the new district of Darlington, which included the Eveleigh Railway Yards.

William Schey returned to the Protectionist party, winning the election in 1895, however he was defeated in 1898.

William Schey twice carried the "eight hour" bill through the Legislative Assembly only to see it defeated in the Legislative Council.

In 1900 William Schey was elected Chairman of the Royal Commission to Labor Matters.

In 1905 William Schey was appointed Director of Labor, a position he held until his death in 1913.

In 1895 William Schey was concerned at the social toll of the 1890s depression.

William Schey was an engine behind the 1896 creation of a Government funded co-operative farm, established to assist men and their families who were victims of sickness and unemployment.