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Thomas Joseph Nolan
It was
recorded in Euroa Jubilee Book, on September 9, 1957, Euroa lost
one of its greatest citizens ever seen. Cr. Thomas Joseph Nolan,
J.P. The Euroa Shire president, died at the comparatively early
age of 60 years.
At the September meeting of the Council
deep regret was expressed at the death of Cr. Nolan, reference
being made to his great ability and the fact that he had always
given his best for the Council. As a mark of respect for his
memory, Council adjourned for an hour.
At the time of
his death the “Euroa Gazette” stated “Cr. Nolan had a large
auctioneering business and was an outstanding townsman. He had
been Shire president three times and a past chairman of Euroa
Waterworks Trust.
T. J. Nolan, Stock and Station Agent, Euroa, was a
well-known personality in the district, and was the local agent
for the purchase of fat lambs for the firm of Sims, Cooper & Co. |
In 1928 Mr. Nolan
purchased 25,000 fat lambs in the district for this firm. In
1929 Mr. Nolan handled a large per-centage of the fat bullocks
sold in the district. In later years, it was reputed he sold
100,000 lambs in a season to Sims Cooper.
He was widely
known as a man of the highest integrity and was noted for his
fair dealings. As a young man he joined Watts, Turnbull and Co.
and later branched out into an auctioneering and real estate
business of his own.Operating on the principles of sound
business and giving good service to clients, the firm expanded
over the years. A great visionary, he predicted in the 1950’s,
that one day grain fed cattle and the grading of beef would be
the future of the Australian Meat Industry.
As a mark of
respect, the Euroa Saleyards were recently re opened as the T J
Nolan North Eastern regional livestock selling centre.
T.J. Nolan will long be remembered by Euroa and District people.
It was mainly through his efforts that the beautiful surrounds
of the Seven Creeks Park were started in the early 1930’s when
he planted the first ornamental trees there. He was president of
Euroa Football Club for three years and president of the Castle
Creek (now Euroa Golf Club) for about 20 years. His work for the
Golf Club was extraordinary, including having Norman Von Nida
and the famous South African golfer Bobby Locke play the opening
round when the new course was developed. T.J. Nolan was
instrumental in Euroa having the sewerage put on and was also
credited with re-introducing koala bears back into the District.
Traveling the world extensively, T.J. Nolan, would proudly say
at the end of the trip, Euroa was still the best place in the
world.
Among other organisations he was closely
connected with were: Euroa Racing Club, Bush Nursing Hospital,
Graziers’ Association, Rotary Club and Liberal Party. Throughout
the years he was connected with every movement for the
advancement of the township. He was an excellent judge of
livestock, together with having a wide knowledge of pasture
improvement, trees and shrubs with many landowner taking his
advice on land and property improvements.
As a young boy, the much heralded, Alf McGeoch, was
sent to T.J. Nolan to be trained as an auctioneer.
Castle Creek Golf Club was one organisation in
particular to feel the loss of T.J. Nolan. Realising that the
Club could not prosper on private land at Castle Creek he was
the prime mover in the Club purchasing land on the southern
outskirts of Euroa. It was mainly through his efforts that the
course had been improved to the degree that it became recognised
as one of the best in the country.
At the time of
writing, Thomas J. Nolan’s son, Barry Nolan had carried on the
business established by his father, in traditional high standard
fashion, for close on 30 years. Barry Nolan who died at the age
of 75 years, having held a stock and station agents license for
50 years, was regarded as one of the greatest judges of
livestock to grace livestock selling centres. Known throughout
his home state of Victoria, he was equally well known in New
South Wales. From Cooma through to Casino, Barry purchased
during his time, ten of thousands of cattle and hundreds of
thousands of sheep. Like his father he was a fair man, who gave
his all in looking after the interests of his clients.
(Part extracted from Euroa Jubilee Book, written in 1989)
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