Thomas Shelford (23 November 1839 - 12 January 1900) was a merchant and a member of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements and the Municipal Commission of Singapore.
Shelford was born in Cosford, West Suffolk on 23 November 1839.[1]
He came to Singapore in 1863 or 1864 due to his poor health. He was then employed at Paterson, Simons & Co. as a junior assistant, and eventually became a partner of the firm.[1] [2] In 1867, he became a member of the Board of Trustees of Raffles Institution.[3]
In June 1872, he was made an unofficial member of the Legislative Council of Singapore, and served on the council for around 25 years.[1] [2] In 1887, Shelford, Charles Burton Buckley and John Cuthbertson contributed funds to convert The Singapore Free Press from a weekly publication to a daily publication.[1] He was a member of the Municipal Commission of Singapore, and retired from the commission in December 1893.[4]
In 1892, he was conferred the Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.[5] In 1895, he was nominated a Municipal Commission of Singapore representing Rochor Ward.[6] He was also on the board of trustees of the Raffles Library and Museum.[1]
Shelford married twice and had several children,[1] including Robert Shelford, William Heard Shelford and Thomas L. Shelford.[7] [8] [9] In 1897, he and his family returned to England as his second wife and his children could not adapt to life in Singapore.[1]
He died of Influenza at his residence in Guildford on 12 January 1900.[2] A full-length portrait of him was unveiled at Singapore City Hall on 10 June 1901.[10] Shelford Road was named after him in 1941.[1]