Thomas Wilson (Queensland politician)

Wilson was born in Riddells Creek, Victoria, to parents James Wilson and his wife Mary (née McLean). He was educated in Riddells Creek. As a young man, he left home to work in the primary industries and later as a shearer in the Riverina district. He then worked at the Cobar copper mine and came to Queensland in 1884{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22177389 |title=MR. T. WILSON DEAD |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |issue=23,495 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=20 May 1933 |accessdate=2 April 2016 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}} where he invested in mining and pastoral pursuits.

In 1890 he married Emma Brown (died 1952)[https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/family-history-research/ Family history research] — Queensland Government births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Retrieved 31 March 2016. in Rockhampton and together had two sons and two daughters. He was a keen sportsman and a member of the Tattersalls Club. Wilson died in office in May 1933, and was accorded a state funeral which proceeded from his New Farm residence to the Toowong Cemetery.[https://graves.brisbane.qld.gov.au/ Deceased Search] — Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search. Retrieved 26 March 2016.

Wilson was associated with the Labour Party from its very early days of existence. He was an alderman on the Brisbane City Council, winning the ward of Merthyr in 1905 and holding it for the next sixteen years. During that time he was a member of the Brisbane Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board. In 1909 he was Mayor of Brisbane and held the distinction of welcoming Lord Kitchener when he visited Brisbane on New Year's Day, 1910. In 1925 he was once again Mayor for a short period.

Following the death of David Bowman in 1916, Wilson won the seat of Fortitude Valley in the Queensland Legislative Assembly.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20097470 |title=VALLEY BY-ELECTION. |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |issue=18,163 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=3 April 1916 |accessdate=2 April 2016 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} He held the seat until his death in 1933, and was Minister for Public Instruction from 1925 until 1929. As minister he initiated many reforms for the welfare of school children and a lasting tribute to his name was the Wilson Ophthalmic School at Windsor. The Wilson Hospital was a specialised facility where eye diseases in children from country Queensland could be diagnosed and treated.[http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/AUS-QLD/2007-04/1176354632 AUS-QLD-L Archives] — RootsWeb.com. Retrieved 2 April 2016.

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{{s-bef | before = Charles Buchanan}}

{{s-ttl | title = Mayor of Brisbane | years =1909}}

{{s-aft | after = John Hetherington}}

{{s-bef | before = Maurice Barry}}

{{s-ttl | title = Mayor of Brisbane | years =1925}}

{{s-aft | after = William Jolly}}

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{{s-bef|before= David Bowman}}

{{s-ttl |title= Member for Fortitude Valley|years=1916–1933}}

{{s-aft|after=Samuel Brassington}}

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Category:Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly

Category:1865 births

Category:1933 deaths

Category:Burials at Toowong Cemetery

Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Queensland

Category:People from Riddells Creek