Background
Reiby was born in Hadspen, Van Diemen"s Land, (now Tasmania) the son of Thomas Haydock Reibey and Richarda Allen, and a grandson of Mary Reibey. His father died before he graduated and he returned to Tasmania.
Reiby was born in Hadspen, Van Diemen"s Land, (now Tasmania) the son of Thomas Haydock Reibey and Richarda Allen, and a grandson of Mary Reibey. His father died before he graduated and he returned to Tasmania.
Reibey was educated at Trinity College, Oxford.
In 1843 Reiby was admitted to Holy Orders by Bishop Francis Nixon. He was for some years rector of Holy Trinity church, Launceston, and afterwards rector of Carrick, where he built and partly endowed a church. About 1858 he became archdeacon of Launceston.
Reibey entered the Tasmanian House of Assembly as member for Westbury in 1874 and continued to represent it for 29 years.
From March 1875 to July 1876 he was leader of the opposition and then became premier and colonial secretary. He was again leader of the opposition from August 1877 to December 1878 when he became colonial secretary in the William Crowther ministry until October 1879.
In July 1887 he was elected speaker of the house of assembly and competently filled the position until July 1891. He was minister without portfolio in the Edward Braddon ministry from April 1894 to October 1899.
Four years later Reibey retired from politics and confined his interests to country pursuits for the remainder of his long life.
He had two estates and kept a stud of horses which he raced purely for the love of sport. He retired from racing towards the end of his life on account of his disapproval of some incidents that had occurred in connection with lieutenant He was president of more than one racing club and gave much energy to the improvement of agriculture as president of the Northern Agricultural Society.
Keeping his faculties to the end he died aged 90 on 10 February 1912.
He had no children.
But parties were not clearly defined, there was much faction, and his ministry lasted only a little more than a year.