Thomas Workman (June 17,
1813 – October 9, 1889) was a Quebec
businessman
and political figure. He represented
Montreal Centre in the
1st Canadian Parliament and
Montreal West from 1875
to 1878 as a
Liberal
member.
He was
born in Ballymacash, Ireland
in 1813 and
came to Montreal
, where his
brothers had already settled, in 1827. In 1834, he was hired
as a clerk in a hardware company operated by
John Frothingham and his brother
William; he became a partner in 1843 and
sole owner in 1859. He also served as president of the
Molson Bank and a director of the
Sun Mutual Life Insurance Company
in Montreal, serving as president from 1871 to 1889. He served as a
volunteer to help put down the
Lower Canada Rebellion. In 1866, he
was named justice of the peace. He was elected to the House of
Commons in 1867, but did not run again until an 1875 by-election in
Montreal West after the sitting member was unseated.
He died from
diabetes in Montreal in 1889.
He had
supported McGill
College
during his life and left a large sum from his
estate to the college and other charities.
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