Hickey, Simon, 1878 – 1958

Simon Hickey (1878-1958), saddler, leather goods manufacturer and parliamentarian, was born at Botobolar, NSW, son of Patrick and Mary Hickey. He was educated at Mudgee and then Auburn when his family moved to Sydney. In 1893 he was apprenticed to a saddler at Mudgee and in 1908 he started his own leather firm at Redfern.

Hickey joined the Australian Natives' Association during the 1890s and became a member of the Labor Party around 1900. In 1911 Hickey married Hilda Ellen Dacey, daughter of parliamentarian J. R. Dacey. On the death of J.R. Dacey in 1912 Hickey was elected member of the NSW Legislative Assembly for the seat of Alexandria, previously held by Dacey. He held the seat until 1920 when he was elected MLA for the seat of Botany (1920-1922). He was elected member of the NSW Legislative Council (1825-1834) and was Speaker of the Lower House for eight days in December 1921.

Hickey was a frequent contributor to the Bulletin and published an autobiography, Travelled roads, in 1951. [ref:ADB 9]