Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Perrott, Thomas

Teacher; born Cork, Ireland, 31 January 1899; died Perth, Western Australia, 25 October 1964, aged 65.

Thomas Perrott was one of three brothers to join the Society in Ireland. He was educated by the Christian Brothers at Cork and at Mungret College, and entered at Tullamore, 31 August 1916. After his juniorate there, he studied philosophy and theology at Milltown Park, 1920-23, and 1927-31. His regency was at Clongowes as third prefect, 1923-27, and he taught there again, 1931-32, before tertianship at St Beuno's, 1932-33. While not a student in the academic sense, he was most thorough in his studies. He liked to complete tasks well, and was utilitarian in his approach, card-indexing all he studied for future reference.

Being sent to Australia was a considerable sacrifice for him, but the presence of his eldest brother Charles and his family who lived in Perth tempered the exile. He was first sent as division prefect to Xavier College, 1933-34, where he assisted in the furnishing of the chapel. Perrott was always appreciated for his business acumen.

He worked at St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, 1935-37, where he helped improve the financial difficulties of the college. Apart from a short time founding the new school of St Ignatius' College, Norwood, South Australia, 1950-53, where he inspired the new parents to be involved in the education of their sons, he spent the rest of his working life at St Louis School, Perth. He helped Austin Kelly set up the school in 1938.

During those many years he was, at various times, minister, bursar for 22 years, a meticulous teacher of mathematics, chaplain to the St Luke's Medical Guild, founder of the Guild of St Apollonia for dentists, and answered questions on the radio 6PR Catholic Hour. In addition, he worked with Alcoholics Anonymous.

He was considered particularly skilled in assisting his gifted students of mathematics to obtain excellent results in their final examination. He worked long hours outside class checking homework and analysing the weaknesses of his students. As minister and bursar, his expertise in financial matters greatly assisted development programmes for the school.

During the school holidays he gave retreats to religious across Western Australia, as well as occasional spiritual lectures, especially to the sisters of St John of God at Subiaco each month. He had twelve volumes of neatly typed lectures on a wide range of spiritual topics. When speaking he was forthright, fluent and most sincere, not seeking after effect. He would rather say something plainly than risk being misunderstood. He also loved singing and produced The Mikado at St Aloysius' College, and other more modest productions at St Louis and Norwood.

Perrott was a capable organiser, always busy about something, very focused and most meticulous in the execution of any task; no detail was spared, and never any half-measures. He never lost the stamp of religion and the priesthood and yet he was loved for his approachability and understanding, and admired for his keen appreciation of the realities of life. The ordinary family found in him ready understanding and sympathetic treatment.

His last illness was not long, and he succumbed finally to cancer. He was buried from the parish church at Nedlands with a full congregation in attendance. He was the first Jesuit to be sent to Western Australia, spent most of his priestly life there, and was the first to be buried there. He was indeed a worthy pioneer in that State.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)