Thomas Beirne (businessman)
| The Hon TC Beirne KSG | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Queensland Legislative Council | |
|
In office 27 July 1905 – 23 March 1922 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Thomas Charles Beirne 9 September 1860 Ballymacurly, Roscommon, Ireland |
| Died |
21 April 1949 (aged 88) Brisbane, Australia |
| Resting place | Nudgee Cemetery |
| Nationality | Irish Australian |
| Spouse(s) | Annie Kavanagh (m.1887 d.1940) |
| Relations | Neal Macrossan (son-in-law), Henry Douglas (son-in-law), Alex Douglas (great grandson) |
| Occupation | Draper, company director |
Thomas Charles Beirne KSG (1860–1949) was an early businessman, politician and philanthropist in colonial and federation era Australia.[1]
Early life
Thomas Beirne was born on 9 July 1860 in County Roscommon at Ballymacurly, near Ballymoe. He migrated to Melbourne on the Lusitania in February 1884. A series of business ventures saw him establish a successful drapery business in Brisbane, Queensland.
Business life
In Brisbane Beirne became an active member of the Brisbane Traders' Association, including its president in 1901. He was also a board member of Brisbane Tramway Co, Australian Mutual Provident Society, the Atlas Assurance Co and the British Australian Cotton Association.[2]
Politics
He was also involved in the early stages of the Australian Labour Party and from 1905 till 1922 he was a member of the Queensland Legislative Council.[3]
Benefactor
Beirne was Warden of the University of Queensland and in 1935 donated £20,000 to establish the TC Beirne School of Law.
He was also a benefactor of Holy Name Cathedral, Brisbane, the Pius XII Regional Seminary at Banyo, Mater Misericordiae Hospital and Duchesne College in the University of Queensland.
He was awarded a papal knighthood of the Order of St Gregory by pope Pius XI and was a close associate with politicians William Higgs and Frank McDonnell and was friends with Archbishop James Duhig.[1]
Later life
Beirne died in 1949. His funeral, which was presided over by Archbishop James Duhig, was held at St Stephen's Cathedral[4] and proceeded to the Nudgee Cemetery.[1] Despite his generosity during his lifetime, he left an estate of over £1.24 million which was mainly bequeathed to his five daughters and numerous grandchildren.[5]
Legacy
Thomas Beirne is remembered today by:
- T C Beirne Park, a park that once formed part of the grounds of his Hendra home, Glengariff [6]
- TC Beirne Department Store, now the T C Beirne Centre, a shopping center in Fortitude Valley [7]
- TC Beirne School of Law at the University of Queensland
A number of buildings associated with Thomas Beirne are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, including:
- his home Glengariff in Hendra [8]
- his retail premises TC Beirne Department Store [9]
- accommodation built for his staff Bulolo Flats [10]
References
- 1 2 3 Beirne, Thomas Charles (1860–1949) – Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ TC Beirne' at Brisbane's History in photographs.
- ↑ "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- ↑ "Family Notices.". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 22 April 1949. p. 12. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- ↑ "THIS MAN MADE A MILLION.". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 23 June 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ↑ "TC Beirne Park | Hendra Toddler Playground - Brisbane Kids". Retrieved 2015-09-16.
- ↑ "TCB On the Valley Mall". www.tcbcentre.com.au. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
- ↑ "Glengariff (entry 600222)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ↑ "TC Beirne Complex and Fortuneland Centre (entry 601395)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
- ↑ "Bulolo Flats (entry 602188)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.