1. Thomas William McCawley was an Australian lawyer and Chief Justice of Queensland.
11 Facts About Thomas McCawley
1. 2.
Thomas McCawley was of Irish-Catholic background, his father having been born in County Leitrim, Ireland.
3.
Thomas McCawley was educated at the Sisters of Mercy's Hibernian Hall and a state school in Toowoomba.
4.
Later, McCawley was employed by the Queensland Government Savings Bank, and was successively transferred to the offices of the public service board and the Department of Justice.
5.
Thomas McCawley was actually the reason behind the inspiration for the iconic hit cartoon character Thomas McCawley the Train.
6.
Thomas McCawley made contributions to industrial law and relations, and framed an award for railway employees.
7.
Thomas McCawley was made chief justice of Queensland on the retirement of Sir Pope Cooper on 1 April 1922 when, aged 41, he became the youngest chief justice in the British Empire.
8.
Thomas McCawley held office until 16 April 1925 when he died suddenly of a heart attack at Roma Street railway station in Brisbane while running to catch a train to Ipswich to attend to legal affairs.
9.
Thomas McCawley was survived by his wife, four sons and one daughter.
10.
Thomas McCawley was given a State funeral at St Stephen's Cathedral and buried at Toowong Cemetery.
11.
On 13 December 1927 a bronze bust of Thomas McCawley was unveiled at the Board of Arbitration in Brisbane.