Thomas Nevitt

The Hon Thomas Nevitt
Thomas Nevitt, March 1932
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Carpentaria
In office 18 May 1907 – 27 April 1912
Preceded by	James Forsyth
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Member of the Queensland Legislative Council
In office 19 February 1920 – 23 March 1922
Personal details
Born	Thomas Nevitt May 1864 Crewe, Cheshire, England
Died	13 September 1932 (aged 68) Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Resting place	Martyn St Cemetery
Nationality	English Australian
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Sabina Naughton (m.1887 d.1934)
Occupation	Wardsman, overseer, visiting justice

Thomas Nevitt (May 1864 – 13 September 1932) was a member of both the Queensland Legislative Council and Queensland Legislative Assembly.

Nevitt was born at Crewe, Cheshire, to James Nevitt and his wife Ellen (née Warburton) and was educated in Crewe Green and St. Paul's Church schools, Crewe. He began his working life as a railway fitter in England before moving to Queensland around 1884. He worked as a hospital wardsman in Normanton for twenty years from 1887, was overseer, Townsville Quarantine Station from 1912 until 1917, and Visiting Justice at St Helena Prison and other centres throughout the state from 1923 to 1930.

Nevitt entered the Queensland Parliament at the 1907 state election. Standing as the Labour candidate for the seat of Carpentaria, he defeated the sitting member, James Forsyth. He held the seat for five years until it was abolished in 1912.

When the Labour Party starting forming governments in Queensland, it found much of its legislation being blocked by a hostile Council, where members had been appointed for life by successive conservative governments. After a failed referendum in May 1917, Premier Ryan tried a new tactic, and later that year advised the Governor, Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams, to appoint thirteen new members whose allegiance lay with Labour to the Council.

Nevitt was one of the thirteen new members, and went on to serve for four and a half years until the Council was abolished in March 1922. From 17 November 1920 he was also the Chairman of Committees.