Thomas Bent KCMG (1838 - 1909)

Born 7 Dec 1838 in Penrith, Colony of New South Wales

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Hannah (Hall) Bent — married about 1860 in Brighton Victoria Australia

Husband of Elizabeth (Huntley) Bent — married 1864 in Victoria, Australia

Descendants

Died 17 Sep 1909 at age 70 in Brighton, Victoria, Australia

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Preceded by William Hill Irvine

Thomas Bent 22nd Premier of Victoria 16 February 1904-8 January 1909

Succeeded by John Murray

Biography

Thomas Bent KCMG was born in the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

Thomas Bent KCMG is Notable.

Birth

Thomas Bent was born on 7 December 1838 in Penrith, Colony of New South Wales. He was the son of James Bent and Maria Toomey.

Marriages

Thomas married Elizabeth Hannah Hall in Victoria in 1860. ^[1] Elizabeth passed away in 1861 at the age of 22. ^[2] There were no children from the union.

Thomas married Elizabeth Huntley in Victoria in 1864. ^[3] The couple had two children together (daughters) with one passing in infancy.

Career

Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Brighton, In office 16 March 1871 – 4 September 1894 and a 2nd time, 1 November 1900 – 17 September 1909.

He was Commissioner for Works and Railways in Sir Bryan O'Loghlen's government in 1881–1883, and used this position to extend the railway line from Caulfield to Cheltenham.

He was the 6th Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly In office 11 May 1892 – September 1894

He was the 22nd Premier of Victoria, In office from 16 February 1904 to 8 January 1909, preceded by William Irvine and succeeded by John Murray.

Death

Thomas died on 17 September 1909 in Brighton, Victoria, Australia at the age of 70^[4] and was buried at the Brighton General Cemetery^[5]

Death Notice 18 Sep 1909^[6]

BENT.—On the 17th September, at Bay street, Brighton, Thomas Bent, in his 71st year.

Brief Obituary 18 Sep 1909^[7]

DEATH OF SIR THOMAS BENT.

Sir Thomas Bent, who had been confined to his home for the past few days owing to an attack of influenza, died at bis residence, Brighton, yesterday morning. The end was somewhat sudden, and came as a shock to the deceased gentleman's friends. The late Sir Thomas Bent had a lengthy political career in Victoria, and had held various offices as a Minister cf the Crown. Coming to more recent times, he held the position of Premier for three or four years, giving up that office in December last year, when, as the result of general elections that took place on account of a dissolution granted by the Governor at the Premier's request, Sir Thomas Bent's Government resigned office. The deceased gentleman at one period occupied the position of Speaker in the Legislative Assembly. His name will also be connected with many stormy political outbursts that took place in the earlier history of Victoria. It was Sir Thomas Bent who first took an active and practical part in the construction of the St. Kilda to Brighton electric tramway, and many other works of a public character he took a leading part in urging forward. He was a member of the Brighton and Moorabbin councils, and in the constituency of Brighton, which he represented for so many years, he had very many staunch friends. By his death is removed one whose life formed a link between the past half century and the present time. In political and public circles the death of the deceased gentleman has been received with regret.

Additional Obituaries^[8][9]

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage Record: # 831 / 1860 Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages: Victoria, Australia
   (Name: Thomas BENT); (Spouse: Elizabeth Hannah HALL).
2. ↑ Death Record: # 9 / 1861 Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages: Victoria, Australia
   (Name: Elizabeth Hannan BENT); (Place: NOT STATED; VIC); (Mother: Ellen BAKER); (Father: William HALL).
3. ↑ Marriage Record: # 2169 / 1864 Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages: Victoria, Australia
   (Name: Thomas BENT); (Spouse: Elizabeth HUNTLEY).
4. ↑ Death Record: # 7653 / 1909 Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages: Victoria, Australia
   (Name: Thos BENT); (Place: BRTN; VIC); (Mother: Maria TUOMEY); (Father: Jas BENT).
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148268155/thomas-bent: accessed 9 July 2023), memorial page for Sir Thomas Bent (7 Dec 1838–17 Sep 1909), Find a Grave Memorial ID 148268155, citing Brighton General Cemetery, Caulfield South, Glen Eira City, Victoria, Australia; Maintained by Find a Grave.
6. ↑ Family Notices (1909, September 18). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 13. Retrieved July 9, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10734636
7. ↑ DEATH OF SIR THOMAS BENT. (1909, September 18). Malvern Standard (Vic. : 1906 - 1931), p. 3. Retrieved July 9, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66385187
8. ↑ SIR THOMAS BENT PASSES. (1909, September 18). The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918), p. 4. Retrieved July 9, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article227819572
9. ↑ SIR THOMAS BENT PASSES. (1909, September 18). The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918), p. 4. Retrieved July 9, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article227819572

• Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bent
• Weston Bate, 'Bent, Sir Thomas (1838–1909)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bent-sir-thomas-2978/text4343, published first in hardcopy 1969, accessed online 9 July 2023.
• Tommy Bent: Bent by Name, Bent by Nature. Margaret Glass, Melbourne University Press, 1 Jan. 1993, https://books.google.com.au/books?id=y6VsQgAACAAJ&dq=Tommy+Bent&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjVqMjy9YLNAhUMmJQKHc8BAW8Q6AEIIzAB