MAGUIRE, Thomas (1909-2007)
Honorary Life Member 2007
Tom Maguire was the last of very special people whose insight and actions brought about the establishment of an historical society in Wollongong. He was one of a number of young professional men who attended a public meeting called by the Mayor, Alderman J J Kelly, for 5th December 1944 at Wollongong Town Hall. That evening, Tom Maguire was appointed to the provisional committee that was tasked to formulate a constitution for the Illawarra Historical Society. The first general meeting of the Society was called for 1st February 1945 and again without any competition Tom Maguire was elected onto the Committee of the Society.
At the society's Annual General meeting on 1st March 2007 a resolution that life membership be granted to Tom was passed.
To commemorate Tom's passing his daughter, Mrs Moira Dunne, provided the following obituary.
Illawarra Historical Society Foundation and Life Member, Thomas Aloysius Maguire, was born at West Maitland in 1909, the sixth child in a family of eight. Educated first in Maitland and then at the Christian Brothers High School, Lewisham where he was School Captain. He commenced his legal studies in 1928 when he entered into Articles with a company of solicitors, which practised in Wollongong as well as Sydney.
He was admitted as a solicitor in 1933 and immediately purchased the Wollongong practice of Morgan, Doust and Company and commenced practice on his own. In 1937 he was joined by his friend, Tom McInerney, and together they became partners in one of the district's best known legal firms, Maguire & McInerney.
Very different personalities, they worked happily together as partners until 1979 when Tom Maguire became a consultant to the firm. He only severed this relationship at the age of 91 when age and ill health prevented him from attending the office on a daily basis.
Tom Maguire was always very involved in the activities of Wollongong and surrounding district. He served two years as president of the Wollongong and District Law Society, was president of Wollongong Rugby League Football Club, vice president of the Illawarra Rugby League, chairman of its judiciary committee and a delegate to Group 7 Rugby League.
He was a foundation committee member of Kembla Grange Race Club and later its vice president and trustee. Tom was also on the committee of the Wollongong Surf Club, was foundation president of the Wollongong Catholic Dinner Club and a member of the Wollongong and Diocese Provident Fund. He was foundation president of the Wollongong Citizens' Junior Free Library and helped form the Wollongong Municipal Library.
During World War II, he served on the Citizens' Committee which organised and administered the Comforts Fund for service personnel on active duty. Tom had a long and distinguished career in Apex - elected Wollongong president 1938, national president 1947, and life governor in 1950. He was chairman of Wollongong Theatres Pty Ltd for 15 years and was a foundation director of WIN 4 for more than 25 years.
In 1935, he married Eileen Hegarty whom he first met at a tennis party in Corrimal. They had two daughters, Moira and Philippa. When Eileen died in 1986, Tom became less involved with public life but remained a dapper figure, always snappily dressed in a suit, and wearing a hat; he was on first name terms with young and old alike as he made his daily walk from his office down Crown Street Mall.
After his daughter, Philippa's, death in 2001 he moved to Kenilworth Gardens in Bowral so he could be close to his other daughter, Moira. Until shortly before his passing, he took a great interest in Wollongong, reading the Illawarra Mercury daily and thoroughly enjoying the Bulletin of the Illawarra Historical Society, which was just one of the many Wollongong organisations, he had known since inception.
Moira Dunne
Illawarra Historical Society Bulletin May 2007