Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 1, 1979, p 23:

Belton, Thomas Frank, C.R.L., D.C., English
The Only Canon Regular of Lateran on Scene
b. London. ed. Stonyhurst & Rome. Entered Canons Regular 1881. Ord. by Bishop Vaughan of Plymouth. Q'land 1891. Ret. to Rome '93. Estd. House of Order in London. Came again to Q'land 1894. In poor health. Musical enthusiast. Served in Rockhampton. Very handsome man. In '91 period he served at Ipswich. Built church at Toowong in 1892.
(See Footprints, Vol. 1, No. 4)
Information given by Bro. C.E. Cain, Yeppoon. Ref. also 'Roman Catholic Church in Rockhampton 1895' (Laying F.S. of R.C. Cathedral)

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Photograph: Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 2: Biographies of Priests on the Australian Scene up to 1900, 1980.

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Denis M. Long, Pioneer and Early Priests, Archdiocese of Brisbane, Deceased or retired by 1929, 2021, pp 136-137 [also includes a photograph]:
Fr Thomas Belton CRL DC

Archbishop Dunne visited Ireland in 1890 seeking priests for his archdiocese.

Dunne's plan was to replace the old missioners by better educated and more zealous priests carefully selected from students in various Irish seminaries.

As a result of the appeal Fr Thomas Belton, an English Canon Regular of the Lateran, was one of two ordained priests to arrive in the Archdiocese late in 1891.(1) Fr Belton was appointed assistant to Fr John Hegerty at Red Hill, which at the time served Toowong.

In September 1891 Archbishop Dunne, presiding at a public meeting in the Toowong School of Arts, invited Fr Belton to take charge of the erection of a church at Toowong.(2) This church of The Holy Souls was opened in 1892.

Fr Belton became well known in the diocese. In January 1892 he officiated at the marriage of Michael Heenan of Laidley to Josephine McCarthy in St Stephen's Cathedral and in November he officiated at the funeral of a 20 year-old jockey.

During the Brisbane floods of 1893 it was reported:

The English (Augustinian) Canon, Thomas Belton, was especially active in helping the flood victims of Fortitude Valley. He also made a perilous journey to Fig Tree Pocket and Long Pocket to assess the need of residents there.(3)

In March 1893 he was present at the silver jubilee celebration of Fr James Horan's priestly ordination in Warwick.(4)

He became one of Brisbane's most successful and popular clergymen, later accepting the post of administrator of the Rockhampton Cathedral.(5)

Early in 1894 a public farewell was given him by church and civil dignitaries.

In the name of the people of Queensland … Father Belton was presented with an address and a purse of sovereigns, and it was hoped that the presentation would be received in the spirit in which it was given...
The Rev Father Belton, who was visibly affected, was heartily applauded on rising. He thanked them for the kindness shown to him, because it was undeserved.(6)

Prior to leaving he officiated in Sydney:

Rev Fr Belton, late of Queensland, was assistant priest at St Mary's Cathedral on Good Friday. On Easter Sunday he sang High Mass at St Mary's. Fr Belton left Sydney on Friday (March 30) on route to Europe.(7)

In August Fr Belton wrote to a friend in Australia. He met up with his father in Marseilles and journeyed through Italy with him. This report was published state-wide.(8) His health deteriorated in London and he chose to return.(9) He returned in February 1895.(10)

Regularly mentioned in the local and church press, he was the celebrant of the Requiem Mass for Dr Cani on 6 March 1898.(11) He continued as administrator under Bishop Higgins.

In April 1900 it was reported that Fr Belton was returning to England. The farewells extended to him were of great public interest. He was presented with an address by the children at the Meteor Park Orphanage on 10 April.(12)

Presentation to Father Belton
At the conclusion of the second service on Saturday morning, at the Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Rev T F Belton, who leaves on Wednesday next for England, was made the recipient of a pretty pair of gold sleeve-links from the altar-boys. Having assembled in the sacristy, Master E Waters read the following address: We have always regarded you as a model gentleman and devoted priest, and we feel certain that we shall long cherish the kindliest remembrances of your sojourn in our midst. We beg you to accept from us these gold cuff links, which may serve to recall pleasant memories when you shall be far from Rockhampton.' Father Belton briefly replied, thanking the youthful donors for their present, and stating that he did not require anything to remind him of the happy times he had had with them. The girls attending High School made a presentation yesterday in the form of an address and travelling bag to Father Belton. A number of the girls attended at the Presbytery in the afternoon, and the address was read: 'Your periodical visits to the school will be missed by those among us who are present pupils, and we all feel that much of our progress in our studies was due to the stimulus given by your unfailing interest and valuable words. We also gratefully recognise your efforts in placing our school under the protection of the Blessed Lord, and offering the holy sacrifice for the pupils at the beginning of the year. Now that it is our sad duty to say farewell, the evidences of your kindly nature crowd in upon our memories, and we begin to realise what a true friend we are losing. We may not make an adequate return, but at least we can pray God to reward and bless you. And, in conclusion, we ask you to accept our slender offering, and to believe that had we it in our power, we would have been delighted to have given you on your departure a more worthy tribute of gratitude and love.' Father Belton, in a few words thanked the pupils for their kind present. (13)

A presentation was made to him in the Council Chambers, Bolsover Street Rockhampton.(14)

In 1911 his death was reported in the Rockhampton press.

News has been received in Brisbane of the death in Italy, on the 26th of October of the Very Rev Thomas London Belton CRL says the 'Brisbane Courier' of the 14th instant. Father Belton was a resident priest some years ago in Rockhampton and in Brisbane, and it was due to his efforts that the first Roman Catholic church - the Church of the Holy Souls – was erected in the newly-formed parish of Toowong. [This church was later moved to Graceville.]
According to a London contemporary the deceased was the founder of the ministry of St Peter-in-Chains, Strood Green, and his death took place in the Abbey of St Secundus, Gubbio, Italy, where, on account of his health, he had been spending the last year of a strenuous life. The deceased was a native of London, and in the forty-eight year of his age. He was educated at Stonyhurst, made his novitiate for the Canons Regular at Bodmin and was professed on the 15th of November 1882. He had occupied the positons of Master of Novices and Prior of the House of his order at Salisbury. He had also laboured in all parts of the country.(15)

Footnotes
1. Neil J Byrne, Robert Dunne 1830-1917 Archbishop of Brisbane, pp. 172-173.
2. Telegraph, Brisbane 14 Sep 1891, p. 5.
3. Age, Brisbane, 25 Feb 1893, p. 5.
4. Warwick Examiner & Times, 21 Jan 1893, p. 2.
5. Neil J Byrne, op. cit. p. 173 - quotes the Brisbane Age of 16 Dec 1893 p. 4.
6. Telegraph, 19 Jan 1894, p. 5.
7. Freemans Journal, Sydney, 31 Mar 1894.
8. Queenslander, Brisbane, 25 Aug 1894, p. 358.
9. Telegraph, Brisbane, 1 Jan 1895, p.
10. Daily Northern Argus, Rockhampton, 1 Feb 1895, p. 2.
11. Advocate, Melbourne, 12 Mar 1898, p. 10.
12. Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton, 11 Apr 1890, p. 5.
13. Ibid. 16 Apr 1900, p. 5.
14. Ibid. 18 Apr 1900.
15. Capricornia, Rockhampton, 23 Dec 1911, p. 33.

Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Long.