Whitfield, Thomas Daniel Sweeny

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NameWhitfield, Thomas Daniel SweenyOccupationBuilderPlace of ResidenceShellharbour VillageBiographyThomas Whitfield was a well-known builder in Shellharbour. He was born at Picton in 1866, to William and Elizabeth Whitfield (nee Ratcliffe).

Thomas' great grandfather Jacob Whitfield was transported aboard the 'Isabella 2' in 1822, aged 60 years for horse stealing. His children later followed him to Australia.

In 1892, Thomas Whitfield married Henrietta Bursill, daughter of Thomas and Helena Bursill, whose family home once stood on the site of the Ocean Beach Hotel, at Shellharbour Village. Thomas worked on occasion with his brother-in-law Charles Bursill, also a builder in Shellharbour.

Thomas and Henrietta had several children;

Aubrey Roy b.1893 (died 1906, Shellharbour)
Kenneth b.1897 (married Esma East, died 1967, Kiama)
Colin b.1901 (died 1915, Kiama)
Ella b.1904 (married George Moon, died 1968, Wollongong)
Thomas Walter Leigh b.1906 (died 1906)
Henrietta b.1908 (died 1931, Kiama)
Jeffrey b.1911 (married Jean Christison, died 1931, Kiama)

Thomas worked on many different buildings during his life, including public schools, police departments, churches, hotels, garages and many homes in Shellharbour -

• The Rectory at Dapto with prominent Architect, Mr Cyril Blackett.
• The Rectory at Jamberoo.
• Repairs to Tory’s Hotel at Kiama, Freemason’s Hotel at Wollongong, Mount Kembla Hotel, Shellharbour Ocean Beach Hotel, and Raftery’s Commercial Hotel at Albion Park.
• JE Noble’s residence at Jamberoo.
• 'Rosemont' homestead at Dunmore for Thomas James.
• 'Kurrawong' homestead at Dunmore for John James.
• Remodel of Allen’s Bros Post Office Store at Shellharbour.
• Macquarie Rivulet Bridge
• Shellharbour Jetty upgrade.
• Fine cedar work in St Paul’s Church of England, Shellharbour.
• 'Yovelton' at Albion Park Rail for the Bonser family.
• Buildings for GL Fuller’s Dunmore Quarry, including an elevator and repairs to the destroyed jetty and hopper.
• Sir William McMillan’s country residence, 'River Farm' at Tongarra.

Thomas and Henrietta suffered much tragedy in their life, losing three children.

Their eldest son, Aubrey died in 1906, the result of blood poisoning from lock jaw after he was kicked by a pony.

Just one week earlier, they lost another son, Thomas.

Nine years later in 1915, their son Colin was fatally shot while on a visit to Albion Park; he was 14 years old.

Henrietta died in 1931 at the Parramatta Asylum of general paralysis of the insane.

In 1940, Thomas married Annie Matilda Anderson who died just a year later in 1941.

Perhaps the most famous member of the Whitfield family was Beverley; the Great Granddaughter of Thomas through his son Kenneth Whitfield, who served in both World Wars.

Beverley was an Australian Olympic swimmer and record holder. She won a gold and bronze medal representing Australia in the breaststroke events at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. She also won three gold medals in the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, and two silver medals in the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games.

The pool at Shellharbour was named in her honour, in 1994.

External LinkShellharbour 1906Albion Park 1906Lad Fatally Shot 1915Fatal Gun Accident 1915Shooting Fatality 1915Sad Shooting Fatality 1915Swan Song of Mr TD Whitfield Forty-Five Years of Building 1920Wedding Whitfield-East 1920KR Whitfiled Shellharbour 1931Send Off to AIF Men 1940Obituary TD Whitfield 1948Neil's Commonplace Book - Whitfield Family History Blog

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Thomas Daniel Whitfield.

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CollectionPeopleFamilyBursillMcKinneryLocalityShellharbourShellharbour VillagePersonStubbs, Lewis (Lew)Whitfield, BeverleyWhitfield, JacobPlaceRosemontRiverfarmYovelton Farmhouse and SiloKurrawongBellmont, Stone Walls, Figs and Coral Tree AvenueShellharbour Harbour & JettyAllen Bros Post Office & Store

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Whitfield, Thomas Daniel Sweeny