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John Toomey (1850–1925)

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John Toomey (1850-1925) seaman and trade union official

Birth: 1850 in county Kerry, Ireland, son of John Toomey, brushmaker and dock labourer, and Hannah (or Mary), née Reidy (d. c. 1860). Marriage: 18 October 1881 at the Registry Office, Sydney, New South Wales, to native-born Mary McKay (1857-1949). They had three sons and two daughters. Death: 26 April 1925 at Sydney; usual residence Bulwarra Road, Pyrmont, Sydney. Religion: Catholic. 

  • Was living with his widowed father at Mile End, London, in 1861.
  • Arrived in Sydney in 1874. Worked as a seaman.
  • Prominent in agitation for a White Australia in 1878, leading to an agreement between the Australian Steam Navigation Company (ASN) and the Seamen’s Union for the removal of Chinese firemen from ships trading on the Australian coast. It resulted in the union paying monthly compensation to ASN company for their removal and engaging Europeans and Australians.
  • Shortly afterwards he was elected secretary of the Seamen’s Union of NSW and worked for shorter hours.
  • Participated in the first intercolonial conference, to discuss a seamen’s union federation, held in Sydney Town Hall in July 1884. Represented the Federated Seamen’s Union at Newcastle.
  • Active in formation of Federal union body through advocating amalgamation of all seamen’s unions of Australasia. In January 1885 he was elected paid secretary of the Federated Seamen’s Union. Seems to have held office for only one year.
  • Cause of death: cardiac failure (2 years).

Sources
Australasian Seamen’s Journal, 1 May 1925 p 4

Additional Resources and Scholarship

Citation details

'Toomey, John (1850–1925)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/toomey-john-34890/text43974, accessed 2 June 2025.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Birth

1850
Kerry, Ireland

Death

26 April, 1925 (aged ~ 75)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Cause of Death

heart disease

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

Occupation or Descriptor
Key Organisations
Political Activism