1. Thomas Waddell, an Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1887 to 1917, was briefly the premier of New South Wales during 1904, and was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1917 to 1934.
Thomas Waddell was born in County Monaghan, Ireland, son of John and Ann Waddell and was brought to Australia when a few months old.
Thomas Waddell grew up near Lake George, New South Wales, northeast of Canberra and was educated at Collector public school and at George Metcalfe's High School, Goulburn.
Thomas Waddell began selling cattle and horses in 1876 and spent some time at Cooper Creek in western Queensland.
Thomas Waddell was elected as member for Cobar in July 1894 and Cowra in July 1898.
When See resigned in June 1904, he recommended to Governor Sir Harry Rawson that he appoint Paddy Crick, but Rawson did not favour Crick because of his excessive drinking in Executive Council meetings and in due course asked Waddell to be premier.
Thomas Waddell attempted to hold the Progressive Party together, but in May 1907 he accepted an offer to become Colonial Secretary in Carruthers Government.
When Charles Wade became premier in October 1907, Thomas Waddell became colonial treasurer until the Government's defeat by James McGowen's Labor Party in the 1910 election.
Thomas Waddell remained member for Belubula until 1917 and served in the Legislative Council from 1917 to 1934, when elections to the council were introduced.
Thomas Waddell was survived by his wife and three sons and four daughters.
Two of his nephews were members of parliament, John Thomas Waddell was the member for Waverley in the Legislative Assembly from 1932 until 1939, and Sir Graham Thomas Waddell was a member of the Legislative Council from 1937 until 1949.
Thomas Waddell is the target of Banjo Paterson's poem The Premier and the Socialist.