Thomas J. Hartigan


Thomas Joseph Hartigan C.M.G., was a railways clerk who became Chief Railways Commissioner in New South Wales. He was a keen cricketer, playing one first-class match for New [South Wales cricket team|New South Wales] in 1907/08.

History

Hartigan was born in Woolloomooloo or Muswellbrook,
He joined the railway service as a junior clerk in 1892 and became assistant chief accountant in 1917, chief accountant in 1820. and controller of accounts and audit in 1921.
In 1929 he toured Europe and America investigating railway matters.
He had a disagreement with W. J. Cleary, which may have helped his relations with Lang.
He was appointed to the Transport Commission in 1932.
He became Commissioner for Railways on 29 December 29 1932, succeeding William James Cleary, who resigned after surviving a feud with Premier Jack Lang.
After five years he was pleased to announce that the Railways had made a profit of £28,000, modest enough, but a welcome change from deficits in the millions.
He was a popular official, with a ready smile and archetypical Irish flattery — blarney — and a politician's memory for names and faces. He was even popular with the unions, but that didn't arrest the wave of strikes in the late 1930s and late 1940s.
He was forced to retire in October 1948, to be replaced by his assistant, F. C. Garside.

Other interests

Hartigan was a keen cricketer: a useful bowler and secretary of the Gordon Cricket Club, which he founded.
His brother Roger Hartigan was a Test cricketer.

Family

Hartigan married Imelda Josephine Boylson on 26 March 1908. They had two sons and two daughters:
They had a home at 58 Moruben Road, Mosman.
He was not closely related to Monsignor Patrick Joseph Hartigan, better known as John O'Brien, author of Around the Boree Log.