Thomas Beirne (businessman) explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Hon
TC Beirne
Honorific-Suffix:KSG
Office1:Queensland Legislative Council
Term Start1:27 July 1905
Term End1:23 March 1922
Birth Date:1860 9, df=yes
Birth Place:Ballymacurly, Roscommon, Ireland
Death Place:Brisbane, Australia
Restingplace:Nudgee Cemetery
Birthname:Thomas Charles Beirne
Nationality:Irish Australian
Spouse: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 Queensland, Australia.[1]

Early life

Thomas Beirne was born on 9 July 1860 in County Roscommon at Ballymacurly, near Ballymoe, the third child of eight to parents considered to be 'the small farmer class'.[2]

The young Beirne migrated to Melbourne on the Orient steamer SS Lusitania (1871) boarding in December 1883 and arriving in February 1884. From Williamstown, seeking out work, he settled with Eyre and Shepherd as a junior salesman in the manchester department at 30 shillings a week. After being a joint manager of the Richmond branch, but not being accepted for a wage rise to 45 shillings, Beirne left Eyre and Shepherd, and started to work with Foy and Gibson until mid-1885.

Business life

After a letter from Mr. M . D. Pigott, an old employer from Tuam, Ireland, and now in Brisbane, Queensland, Beirne left for Brisbane to be an equal partner in a business. He found the shop in Stanley Street disappointing, left, and found a job with Allan and Stark also on Stanley Street. With some opportunity and planning, in 1886, the firm of Pigott and Beirne was opening at Stanley Street opposite Annerley Road. After a fire to the uninsured business, the partnership was dissolved in August 1891, and 'T.C.B.' with £1200 opened a small store in Fortitude Valley, frontage and deep, with an overhead dwelling.

These series of business ventures saw him establish a successful drapery business in Brisbane. A number of years later, T. C. Beirne and Company Proprietary Limited was registered with a nominal capital of £1000000. The TC Beirne Department Store building is now heritage-listed.

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.[3]

In 2021Thomas Charles Beirne was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame.[4]

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.[5]

Benefactor

As one of Australia’s first millionaires, T. C. Beirne’s generous philanthropy created lasting community legacies. 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[6] 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.[7]

The State Library of Queensland holds the T.C. Beirne company Records[8] as well as examples of his catalogues.[9]

Legacy

Thomas Beirne is remembered today by:

A number of buildings associated with Thomas Beirne are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, including:

In 2021, Beirne was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame.[15]

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/beirne-thomas-charles-5186 Beirne, Thomas Charles (1860–1949)
  2. News: They know him as "T.C.B." . Worker . 58 . 3137 . Queensland, Australia . 1 September 1947 . 4 July 2020 . 7 . National Library of Australia . 30 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220730030626/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71311542 . live .
  3. http://www.yourbrisbanepastandpresent.com/2009/08/tc-beirnes.html TC Beirne'
  4. Web site: T. C. Beirne . live . 18 May 2022 . Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame . 18 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220518013517/https://leaders.slq.qld.gov.au/inductees/tc-beirne-1860-1949 .
  5. Web site: Former Members. Parliament of Queensland. 2015. 17 February 2015. 17 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150217044636/http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/former/bio?id=575688515. live.
  6. News: Family Notices. . . Brisbane . 22 April 1949 . 17 February 2015 . 12 . National Library of Australia . 30 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220730030627/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/49687297 . live .
  7. News: THIS MAN MADE A MILLION. . . Brisbane . 23 June 1949 . 9 November 2014 . 1 . National Library of Australia . 30 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220730030626/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/49688481 . live .
  8. Web site: R 341 T C Beirne Records . State Library of Queensland . 30 July 2022 . 30 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220730030628/http://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=slq_alma21148599290002061&vid=SLQ&search_scope=SLQ&tab=slq&lang=en_US&context=L . live .
  9. Web site: 2013 . A Scotsman, an Irishman and a Tasmanian set up shop [blog post] ]. live . 27 May 2022 . State Library of Queensland . 27 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220527011751/https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/scotsman-irishman-and-tasmanian-set-shop .
  10. Web site: TC Beirne Park Hendra Toddler Playground - Brisbane Kids. 30 November 2012 . 2015-09-16. 26 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131026210621/http://www.brisbanekids.com.au/tc-beirne-park-hendra-toddler-playground/. live.
  11. Web site: TCB On the Valley Mall. www.tcbcentre.com.au. 2015-09-16. 9 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150609080000/http://www.tcbcentre.com.au/history.html. live.
  12. 9 November 2014.
  13. 1 August 2014.
  14. 1 August 2014.
  15. Web site: Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame . 2023-02-26 . Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame T.C. Beirne KSG (1860-1949) . State Library Of Queensland . en.