| Thomas Davey MP |
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| Thomas Davey | |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for City of Christchurch electorate |
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| In office 1902–1905 |
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| Preceded by | George John Smith |
| Succeeded by | electorate abolished |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Christchurch East |
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| In office 1905–1914 |
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| Preceded by | new electorate |
| Succeeded by | Henry Thacker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1856- Liskeard |
| Died | 1934 |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) | Maude Davey (née Dobson) |
| Profession | printer |
Thomas Henry Davey (1856 – 5 April 1934) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for the electorates of City of Christchurch and Christchurch East.
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Davey was born in Liskeard in south east Cornwall, England. He learned the trade of printing.[1]
With his parents, he came to New Zealand in 1874, arriving in Wellington on the Douglass. They lived in Feilding (where he worked as a saw miller), Wellington (where he worked for the Government printer) and then Christchurch. He was a printer for the Lyttelton Times newspaper and became President of the Typographical Union and Vice-President of the Trades and Labour Council.[1]
On 8 August 1884, he married Maude Davey, daughter of John Dobson (surveyor) from Oxford.[2]
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| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | |
| 1902–1905 | 15th | Christchurch | Independent | |
| 1905–1908 | 16th | Christchurch East | Independent | |
| 1908–1911 | 17th | Christchurch East | Independent | |
| 1911–1914 | 18th | Christchurch East | Independent | |
From 1902 to 1905, Davey was one of the three Members of Parliament representing the multi-member City of Christchurch electorate. He had been presented with a petition to stand for parliament and came third out of nine contenders in this three-member electorate, behind Tommy Taylor and Harry Ell.[1]
In 1905, these multi-member electorates were split up, and he won the Christchurch East electorate, which he held to 1914, when he retired.
Like Harry Ell, Davey showed an independent attitude towards the Liberal Government. He demanded an elective executive, and said that Premier Richard Seddon held too many portfolios. He also believed that the Cabinet should be reconstructed.[3]
Davey was elected Mayor of St Albans in 1897. He was a member of the Hospital Board and the Board of Canterbury College.[1]
The Lyttelton Times parliamentary correspondent described Davey as: "tall, straight, solidly built - the best Mayor St. Albans ever had".[4]
Davey died on 5 April 1934 and was buried at Linwood Cemetery two days later.[5]