Thomas James Noonan

NOONAN, Thomas James- – – SPC 1905-1906

DoB:- – 1888, Crowlands, VIC

Father:- – Edward Noonan

Mother:- – Margaret, nee Poynton

Thomas James Noonan came to St Patrick’s as a boarder from a small farming community called Crowlands, north east of Ararat in Victoria’s west. Tom’s grandfather, Daniel Noonan was a pioneer of Crowlands, arriving there at Six Mile Creek in 1846 with a Michael Fallon. His wife Margaret (nee O’Brien) is credited with riding a horse 100 miles with an infant in her arms to have the child baptised. Daniel was unofficially trading in gold well before the discovery was publically acclaimed at Clunes. He also trade in digger’s requirements, selling them what they needed and then buying them back for re-sale when the funds or luck ran out.

Tom’s two brothers, Edmund and John were students at both Holy Ghost and St Patrick’s College (both part of the Foundation Class). Both boys volunteered to serve in the Boer War in Africa and Edmund remained there after hostilities ceased, married and raised a family around Johannesburg.

Tom was a Prefect of the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a Prize Winner in the Commercial Class of 1906. He was also a keen athlete, being a member of the senior football team in 1906. He also won first prize in the Ballarat School of Mines annual sports event held on the City Oval on 7 April.

Service No:- 2472

Rank:- – Private, Trooper

Unit:- – 4th Light Horse Regiment

Thomas Noonan enlisted in the AIF on 29 September 1915 at the age of 27 years and two months. He was five feet, nine and a half inches tall, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair. He was unmarried and worked as an overseer.

Private Noonan embarked for from Australia on 5 May 1916, arriving at Tel-el-Kebir in Egypt a month later. He marched out to Serapeum and for several months underwent training with the Australian Camel Regiment. By the end of February 1917, Trooper Noonan had been reattached to the 4th Light Horse Regiment at Ferry Post, and was involved in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. In July 1917, he was hospitalised in the field, suffering from septic sores, but by 20 July was recovered enough to rejoin his unit.

From July 1917 to his return to Australia aboard the Essex on 15 June 1919, there is no information in his war record. After his arrival in Melbourne on 25 July, Private Thomas Noonan was discharged from the AIF on 8 August 1919.

Tom moved back to western Victoria and resumed his career as an overseer and grazier. Information provided by Tom’s extended family reveals that he was a successful publican in later years, conducting the Victoria Hotel at Albert Park, and the Victoria Hotel in Armstrong Street, Ballarat (now the Sportsman’s Arms).

Tom married Margaret Millicent Milligan, but the College could not establish if they had any children. Margaret died on 27 September 1948, aged 55 years. Soon after this time, Tom retired and moved to the more urban centre of Ballarat around the age of 66 years, as the electoral roll records show that he was living at 21 Armstrong Street North from 1954 until his death on 14 July 1968.

Tom was buried at Rokewood Cemetery, with his wife, Margaret.

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