# The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/O'Halloran, Major Thomas Shuldham

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​O'Halloran, Major Thomas Shuldham, J.P., second son of Major-General Sir Joseph O'Halloran, G.C.B., Bengal Army, by his wife, Frances, daughter of Colonel Nicholas Bayly, M.P., and niece of Henry, 1st Earl of Uxbridge, was born at Berhampore, East Indies, Oct. 25th, 1797. He became a cadet at the Royal Military College, Marlow, in 1808; ensign Royal West Middlesex Militia in 1809; ensign 17th Foot in 1813, and joined his regiment in 1814. He served in the Nepaul war during the years 1814, 1815, and 1816, became lieutenant in June 1817, and served in the Deccan war during that and the following year. He married, on August 1st, 1821, Miss Ann Goss, of Dawlish, who died in 1823 in Calcutta. In 1822 he exchanged from the 17th to the 44th Regiment, which he joined in Calcutta in Jan. 1823. In 1824 he was ordered with the left wing of the 44th to Chittagong, where he arrived early in June, and was appointed paymaster, quartermaster, and interpreter. On Oct. 30th he was appointed brigade-major to Brigadier-General Dunkin, C.B., who commanded the Sylket division of the army during the Burmese war, and served on his staff until his death in Nov. 1825. He received a medal for war service in India, for Nepaul and Ava. On April 27th, 1827, he purchased his company in the 99th Regiment, and exchanged into the 56th Regiment in 1828. In 1829 he exchanged into the 6th Regiment, and joined his father as aide-de-camp at Saugor, in Central India. From June 1830 to Jan. 1831 he served as deputy-assistant quartermaster-general at Saugor. In 1834 he married Miss Jane Waring, of Newry, and retired on half-pay in Oct. of that year. In 1837 he was placed on full pay as captain in the 97th Regiment; and in that year was sent in command of two companies of his regiment and a troop of the 4th Dragoon Guards to quell the riots in Yorkshire. In 1838 he retired from the army by the sale of his commission, and sailed for South Australia the same year in the Rajahstan, landing at Glenelg on Nov. 21st, 1838. He settled with his family at O'Halloran Hill, and was made a J.P. in 1839. He was gazetted Major-Commandant of the South Australian Militia on Feb. 26th, 1840, and on June 8th as Commissioner of Police. When the Maria was wrecked at Lacepede Bay, and the crew were murdered by the blacks, Major O'Halloran went down with two other gentlemen to investigate the matter, and hanged two of ​the natives. This proceeding was very severely condemned by a number of colonists, who made very strong representations upon the subject to both the local and home Governments. The result, however, showed that, whatever opinions might be entertained respecting the abstract propriety of the summary measures adopted, they were in reality the wisest and most merciful for both races, no organised attack being afterwards made upon Europeans by the natives in that part of the colony. He commanded several expeditions against the blacks in 1840 and 1841, and resigned his appointment as Commissioner of Police on April 12th, 1843. He was nominated on June 15th, 1843, senior non-official member of the old nominee Legislative Council, and sat till 1851, when the first instalment of representative government was conceded. He took part in the successful opposition to the official policy for the imposition of royalties on minerals; but, having supported the then Governor in his attempt to perpetuate State aid to religion, was defeated for the district of Noarlunga when the Mixed Constitution was proclaimed. In 1855 he unsuccessfully contested the Sturt. He was gazetted a lieutenant-colonel of the Volunteer Military Force in 1854. When responsible government was conceded, he was returned at the head of the poll over twenty-seven candidates for the Legislative Council in March 1857. In 1862 he resigned his commission as justice of the peace, owing to his strong disapproval of some of the Government appointments to the magistracy. He retired from the Legislative Council the following year, and died at Lizard Lodge, O'Halloran Hill, on August 16th, 1870.