Thomas Plunkett, senior
{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Thomas Plunkett
| honorific-suffix =
| image = StateLibQld 1 86912 Thomas Plunkett, MLA, 1905.jpg
| caption =
| constituency_AM1 = Albert
| assembly1 = Queensland Legislative
| term_start1 = 17 May 1888
| term_end1 = 21 March 1896
| predecessor1 = New seat
| successor1 = Robert Collins
| term_start2 = 18 March 1899
| term_end2 = 5 February 1908
| predecessor2 = Robert Collins
| successor2 = John Appel
| birth_date = April 1840
| birth_place = Arrigal, County Meath, Ireland
| death_date = 2 September 1913 (aged 73)
| death_place = Sandgate, Queensland, Australia
| restingplace = Tambourine (Tamborine) Catholic Cemetery
| birthname = Thomas Plunkett
| nationality = Irish Australian
| spouse = Maria Ryan (m.1866 d.1939)
| party = Opposition
| otherparty = Ministerial
| relations = Thomas Flood Plunkett (son)
| residence =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Farmer
| profession =
}}
Thomas Plunkett (April 1840 – 2 September 1913) was a farmer and Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly in Queensland, Australia.{{cite web|title=Former Members|publisher=Parliament of Queensland|year=2015|url=http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/former/bio?id=3480311213|accessdate=4 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625135638/http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/former/bio?id=3480311213|archive-date=25 June 2016|url-status=live}}
Biography
Plunkett was born in Arrigal, County Meath, the son of John Plunkett and his wife Catherine (née Flood). He was educated privately and at the local school before sailing to Queensland aboard the Fiery Star in 1863. In 1866 he selected farmland which he named "Waterford" at Logan. In 1870 he then acquired land at on north bank of the Albert River at Tamborine (around Plunkett Road today) which he named Villa Maria in honour of his wife. He also purchased 2000 acres at Kerry and also land at Logan Village where he took up dairy farming and crop growing. Later on he established a general store in the Tamborine area around 1872 and became the postmaster in 1874.[http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/plunkett-thomas-12113 Plunkett, Thomas (1840–1913)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531032357/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/plunkett-thomas-12113 |date=31 May 2016 }} – Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 4 May 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://www.beardeddragon.com.au/tamborine-hinterland-articles.php?id=51|title=Tamborine History|last=|first=|date=|website=Bearded Dragon Hotel|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402134943/http://www.beardeddragon.com.au/tamborine-hinterland-articles.php?id=51|archive-date=2 April 2020|access-date=2020-04-02}}
On 2 May 1866 Plunkett married Maria Ryan (died 1939)[https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/family-history-research/ Family history research] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217013859/http://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/family-history-research/ |date=17 December 2013 }} – Queensland Government births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Retrieved 3 May 2016. at St Stephen's Cathedral in Brisbane and together had four sons and four daughters. In September 1913 he died at the residence of one of his daughters at Sandgate and his body was taken to South Brisbane railway station to be transported to Logan Village railway station after which he was buried in the Tamborine Catholic Cemetery (which was on land on Plunkett Road which he had donated to the church for a cemetery).{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19901628 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |issue=17,360 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=3 September 1913 |accessdate=4 May 2016 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.stmarysbeaudesert.com/our-churches/st-patricks-tamborine/|title=St Patrick's, Tamborine|last=|first=|date=|website=St Mary's Catholic Parish Beaudesert|language=en-AU|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402130325/https://www.stmarysbeaudesert.com/our-churches/st-patricks-tamborine/|archive-date=2 April 2020|access-date=2020-04-02}}
Public career
Plunkett won the new seat of Albert at the 1888 Queensland colonial election,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3475562 |title=The General Election. |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |volume=XLIV |issue=9,467 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=18 May 1888 |accessdate=4 May 2016 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} but was defeated by Robert Collins in 1896.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3621769 |title=General Election |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |volume=LII |issue=11,915 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=23 March 1896 |accessdate=4 May 2016 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} He regained the seat three years later{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3690343 |title=The Elections |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |volume=LV |issue=12,850 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=20 March 1899 |accessdate=4 May 2016 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} and held it until he retired from politics in 1908.
Plunkett was a Member of the Colonists' Anti-Convention Bill League and campaigned vigorously against federation. His son, Thomas Flood Plunkett, was a long serving member of the Queensland Parliament having represented the seats of Albert and Darlington.
References
{{commons category|Thomas Plunkett, senior}}
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|au-qld}}
{{s-new|seat}}
{{s-ttl |title= Member for Albert|years=1888–1896}}
{{s-aft|after = Robert Collins}}
{{s-bef|before= Robert Collins}}
{{s-ttl |title= Member for Albert|years=1899–1908}}
{{s-aft|after = John Appel}}
{{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Plunkett, Thomas}}