Dear Editor

Re: Article by Lynne Dawes ‘Inquest and Hearing of the Death of Mary Connolly continued’, Valley Voice Volume 46 No. 11 of 26/9/13, penultimate and last paragraphs, page 25, referring to a ‘Dr Story’.

I am the Story family historian of the Storys who settled at the ‘House of Chimneys’, ‘Henbury’, Lena Road via Avoca, and were prominent in the Fingal Valley from 1837-1952. They gave their name to Storys Creek (via Rossarden), Storys Creek Road (via Avoca), Story Street (St Marys), Storys Road (Lebrina), Storys Road (central Castra) and also Groom and Harefield Streets St Marys (through the related family the Grooms of Harefield, 1872).

The Dr Story referred to by Lynne Dawes is most likely Dr George Fordyce Storey (with an ‘e’) of ‘Dr Storyes’ Baby’ notoriety, from a foetus in a jar still at the Tasmanian University Medical Faculty. Dr Storey, according to a Peter Mercer, was a lifelong friend of  Francis and Anna Maria Cotton who lived with them, possibly at ‘Kelvedon’, and who is buried beside them at the Swansea cemetery, although I could not find their headstones and have not yet researched his information.

This Dr George Fordyce Storey is probably the same  doctor, a Quaker, who did some work with our aboriginal brothers and sisters at Wybalena in 1823, at age 23,  concerning infertility caused by venereal disease. He gave his name to Mount Storey on Schouten  Island and is  related to the probably Scottish and Catholic Storeys   related to a J.W. Storey from Colebrook and Oatlands, though initially from North-Eastern Tasmania, who gave their name to Storey Street of Oatlands.

This Dr G.F. Storey is also distinct from another Dr Story, also a ‘much loved pioneer doctor from the East Coast’ who leased ‘Highfield’ in the North-West c.1880s, i.e. Dr William Story.

In contrast, my mob of Storys from ‘Henbury’ are,  although well-connected Anglicans and Royalists, only descended from a long line of dairy farmers (re: John Storys’ famous Double Gloucester Best Cheese 13/4/1867 Launceston Show).

Whilst my Storys are probably related to Dr William Story through business and familial associates the Ford family, they are not directly related to the Dr G.F. Storeys and J.W. Storeys – even though one of us was, in fact, a J.W. Story (without the ‘e’, of course).

Confused? I certainly still am, and doubly so given the profusion of John and Thomas Storys thus far researched back consecutively to 1665 in Somerset.

Of course, if I were to complete the research further back I would find that all Storys, Storeys, Storrs and Stories are, in fact, related prior to 1200 in Northumberland and Yorkshire: the name Story being a Viking word meaning ‘big, strong man’.

I hope my historical account has been of some interest, particularly concerning the Cottons, and all the  coincidences concerning early gynaecological research.

N.B. Fungus Ergot of Rye is, of course, the base substance for making D-Lysergic acid Thalidomide -25 or L.S.D. and formerly known as ‘St Anthonys’ Fire’ (c.c.claviceps purpurea).

A full list of sources can be found at the Avoca Post Office and the Avoca History Museum in ‘The Story Family of “Henbury” in Avoca, St Pauls Plains’ © 23/4/2012 or by contacting me, the author.

© 2013 Tony Story

‘Lewis Hill’, Royal George.