Sir Thomas Hughes KCSG, JP (19 April 1863 – 15 April 1930) was an Australian businessman and New South Wales state politician who was Lord Mayor of Sydney, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council and served as Chairman of Washington H Soul Pattinson from 1906 to 1929.
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Early years and background
Thomas Hughes was born in Sydney, Colony of New South Wales, on 19 April 1863, the third son of wealthy Irish immigrants, John Hughes, of Kincoppal, and Susan Sharkey. His elder brother was future Sydney Alderman and NSW politician, John Francis. Hughes, along with his brother, was sent to England to be educated as Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, and he matriculated for the University of London in 1880.
After undertaking a tour of Europe, Hughes then returned to Sydney and in 1882 entered the legal profession, being articled to Thomas Slattery and was admitted as a solicitor on 28 May 1887. Thereafter he entered practice with his brother. On 19 October 1887, he married Louisa Gilhooley, the daughter of physician James Gilhooley. They had two sons: Geoffrey Forrest Hughes, who became a solicitor and was a flying ace of World War I, and Roger Forrest Hughes, who became a doctor, signed up in March 1916 to the Army Medical Corps and was killed in action during the Battle of the Somme on 11 December 1916.