amateur photographer and medical practitioner, was born in Carlisle, England, on 4 June 1800, son of a Wesleyan preacher. Educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen, Story studied medicine and botany. He left for Edinburgh in 1821 to continue his studies. His 1824 diploma as doctor of medicine from Edinburgh University is in the Mitchell Library, along with his account books and other professional papers as a Tasmanian government surgeon. He came to Van Diemen’s Land after private practice in London in 1825-28 and served as surgeon at Waterloo Point from 5 April 1829 to November 1841, then at Great Swan Port (1842-44) and at Rocky Hills Probation Station (from 10 December 1845). A keen botanist, Story was primarily responsible for the creation of the Royal Society’s Gardens in Hobart from their foundation in 1843 until 1847 when F. H. Newman is believed to have been appointed. Later he collected for the Victorian government botanist von Mueller .
Story spent most of his time with his school friend and fellow Quaker Francis Cotton at the Cotton home, Kelvedon, at Swansea where he took the photographs now preserved in the Cotton Papers (c.1860, TU Archives). He died at Kelvedon on 7 June 1887 and was buried on the property. Two watercolours – a giant fish 'found on the rocks at Circular Head’ (Stanley, Tasmania) on 29 September 1856 and painted as a record for the Royal Society of Tasmania and Young of Voluta mamilla, Tasmania, found at Circular Head (two sides of a single shell) done at the same time (both TMAG) – are likely to be his work, despite an apparent signature of 'W.’ Story.
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
- Date written:
- 1992
- Last updated:
- 2011
