Stories

The Gallagher Family Fund

T. H. L. “Shiner” Gallagher was born in 1900 in Ottawa and grew up on Montreal and Toronto, where he attended Lower Canada College, Montreal and St. Andrew’s in Toronto. He spent his working life with Dominion Securities Limited, opening its Hamilton office in 1921 where he was a managing partner.

Mr. Gallagher was Alderman in 1933-34 and was active in the community. He served as Director of Chedoke Hospital. During the Great Depression, Mr. Gallagher was the driving force, along with G. Vert Rayner and Jean McTaggart, in answering a community need by founding Amity Goodwill Industries in 1935. In 1984, to celebrate his 50th year of volunteer to service to Amity, “Shiner” established the Amity Goodwill Fund to encourage and stimulate people with disabilities in their efforts to recreate their lives and achieve their career and personal goals. Mr. Gallagher was a valued ambassador for this agency in our community for many years.

Mr. Gallagher served during the last World War as Commanding Officer of the Sea Cadets Corps of Hamilton.

Mr. Gallagher passed away on August 28, 1999. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Frances (nee Innes), daughter Willemene Agro and son Harold. His contributions will be long remembered and he has left the world a better place than he found it.