# Thomas Cleeve

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**Sir Thomas Henry Cleeve** (5 June 1844 – 19 December 1908) was a Canadian-born businessman, domiciled in Ireland, who was elected [High Sheriff of Limerick City](/source/High_Sheriff_of_Limerick_City) on three occasions.

## Background

Thomas Cleeve was born in [Cleveland](/source/Cleveland,_Quebec) in [Canada East](/source/Canada_East), and was the eldest son of Edward Elmes Cleeve, an [English](/source/England) immigrant, and Sophia Journeaux, whose family came from [Ireland](/source/Ireland).[1]

## Business career

In 1860 Thomas Cleeve travelled to Ireland to stay with his mother's relatives who ran an agricultural machinery business in [Limerick](/source/Limerick) known as J.P. Evans & Company. Young Thomas decided to remain in Ireland and eventually assumed control of the business.[2]

In 1883, Cleeve started a new enterprise, the [Condensed Milk Company of Ireland](/source/Condensed_Milk_Company_of_Ireland), in conjunction with two local businessmen. The company manufactured dairy products, such as [condensed milk](/source/Condensed_milk), [butter](/source/Butter), [cheese](/source/Cheese) and [confectionery](/source/Confectionery). Its headquarters were located in Limerick city, on the northern bank of the [River Shannon](/source/River_Shannon). The business expanded over the next 20 years to become the largest of its type in the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Ireland).[2]

Cleeve was also senior partner in the Cleeve Canning and Cold Storage Company based in [British Columbia](/source/British_Columbia).[3]

He was the President of [Limerick Chamber](/source/Limerick_Chamber) in 1908–09.[4]

## Public office

In 1899, Cleeve was voted on to [Limerick City Council](/source/Limerick_City_Council). That same year, his fellow councillors elected him as [High Sheriff of Limerick City](/source/High_Sheriff_of_Limerick_City), the Queen's representative in the city. He held the position again in 1907 and 1908.[2]

In 1900, following a visit to Ireland by [Queen Victoria](/source/Queen_Victoria), Cleeve received a [knighthood](/source/Knighthood) from the [Lord Lieutenant](/source/Lord_Lieutenant).[2]

## Final illness

In December 1908, Cleeve was taken ill at a public function.[5] Despite undergoing surgery, he died of [peritonitis](/source/Peritonitis) a few days later at the age of 64.[2] According to contemporary newspaper reports his funeral was one of the largest seen in Limerick city, with crowds lining the streets up to an hour before the cortège passed.[3] He is buried in the churchyard of [St. Mary's Cathedral](/source/St._Mary's_Cathedral,_Limerick) in the city.[6]

## Family

Cleeve married Phoebe Agnes Dann in 1874 and they had five children. The author and broadcaster [Brian Cleeve](/source/Brian_Cleeve) was a grand-nephew of Sir Thomas Cleeve.[1]

## References

1. Burke, Sir Bernard, *Burke's Irish family records*, Burke's Peerage, 1976

1. Lee, David and Jacobs, Debbie, *Made in Limerick Vol.1, History of industries, trade and commerce*, Limerick Civic Trust, 2003

1. *[Irish Independent](/source/Irish_Independent)*, 21 December 1908 (p.5)

1. Potter, Matthew & Slater, Sharon (2015). *Limerick's Merchants, Traders and Shakers*. Limerick: Limerick Chamber. ISBN 9780953835416.

1. *The Irish Times*, "Serious illness of Sir Thomas Cleeve", 19 December 1908

1. ["Episode 4 Rediscovering Limerick - Cleeve's Condensed Milk Factory"](http://limerickslife.com/rediscovering-limerick-4/). *Limerick's Life*. 29 June 2013.

## Further reading

- Jim Bruce, *Faithful Servant: A Memoir of Brian Cleeve* (Lulu, 2007, ISBN 978-1-84753-064-6)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Thomas Cleeve](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cleeve) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cleeve?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.