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Former Member Details

Sir Thomas HUGHES (1863 - 1930)

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 19/04/1863
Place of Birth: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 15/04/1930
Place of Death: Elizabeth Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 21 Jul 1908 15 Apr 1930 21 years 8 months 26 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 10 July 1908
Political Party Activity
Freetrade; Liberal Party.
Community Activity
Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in 1902
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Lawyer (solicitor) and businessman. Educated at Stonyhurst College, Lancashire, England. Matriculated to London University in 1880, toured Europe; returned to Sydney; articled to T.M Slattery in 1882, admitted as a solicitor in 1887, practised in partnership with brother John; chairman of directors of South Bennett Limited and Company Limited, Amalagamed Wireless (Australasia Limited), Tooheys Limited, W.H Soul Pattinson and Company Limited, and of boards of the National Mutual Life Association and London and Lancashire Fire Insurance Company; director of Commercial Banking Company of Sydney from 1915 until 1919, 1920 until 1928, and Australian Hotel Company Limited; director of Commercial Banking Company of Sydney from 1915 until 1919, 1920 until 1928, and Australian Hotel Company Limited. Member of Board of Health from 1902 until 1903, 1907 until 1908; assisted to organise Citizens Vigilance Committee in 1900; member of Universal Service League in 1916; councillor of Womens's College at University of Sydney; Australia Club; secretary to first and third Catholic Congresses in 1900,1909
Military Service
Honours Received
Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory in 1915
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Alderman of the Sydney City Council for Bourke Ward, 5 September 1898 until 1 December 1912. Member of the Finance Committee 1899 until 1912; Electric Lighting Committee 1899 until 1912; and the Labor Advisory Committee 1901. Mayor 1902; Lord Mayor 1903, 1907 until 1908.
Personal
Son of John Hughes, merchant, and Susan Sharkey. Married Louisa Gilhooley in 1887 and had issue, 2 sons. Roman Catholic. Funeral at Waverley cemetery from St Canice's Roman Catholic church in Darlinghurst. His brother, John Francis Hughes, was also a Member of the Legislative Council.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB), Volume 9. Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: Hughes family - papers, 1863 - 1951 (MLMSS 1222); photographs in the PICMAN Database.