Thomas Bassett Macaulay

Thomas Bassett Macaulay, actuary and well known in insurance circles, not only in Montreal but throughout Canada and the United States, has aside from his business affairs led a life of intense and well directed activity, being identified with various organized movements which have to do with the promotion of moral progress or which seek to alleviate hard conditions of life for the unfortunate.

Mr. Macaulay is a native of the province of Ontario, having been born in Hamilton on the 6th of June, 1860, a son of Robertson and Barbara Maria (Reid) Macaulay. After pursuing his early education in Hamilton he continued his studies in Montreal and made his initial step in the business world in the service of the Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada at Montreal in October, 1877. He bent every energy to the mastery of the duties intrusted to him and the recognition of his ability and faithfulness came to him in promotion. In 1880 he was appointed actuary and in 1891 was made secretary of the company. In 1898 he was elected a director and in 1906 became managing director of a corporation that is acknowledged to be one of the strongest and most reliable insurance companies of the world. By examination he became a fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Great Britain and is now supervisor at Montreal in connection with examinations of the institute. He is a charter member of the Actuarial Society of America and was honored with election to its presidency in 1899 and in 1901, while he is now a life member of its council. He has indeed a wide reputation in his profession and extended acquaintance. He is a member of the Royal Statistical Society of England, a corresponding member of the Institute des Actuaires Françaises de France and in 1895 was again a delegate to the International Commerce of Actuaries in Brussels, and again in 1898 in London and in 1900 in Paris. At the last mentioned he was elected vice president to represent both the United States and Canada. He was also elected vice president of the International Actuaries Association in 1906.

Important and responsible are the duties which have come to Mr. Macaulay with his developing powers, and he finds rest and recreation therefrom in his interests in farming and stock-raising. He has valuable farming property at Hudson Heights, Quebec. He also has other business connections, being a director of the Illinois Traction Company, of the National Trust Company and of the Dominion Glass Company. He is likewise actively interested in organizations having to do with the public welfare, being a governor of the Montreal General Hospital. He is likewise a governor of the Congregational College of Canada which is indicative of his church relationship. In 1911 he was elected president of the Congregational Union of Canada. The same year he was elected president of the Canadian and West Indian League. He is a careful student of all the vital problems and questions of the age and fearlessly he pronounces his opinions yet is never aggressive. He favors the imposition of a moderate import duty by the United Kingdom and colonies to be kept distinct from local duties and to be applied to imperial defence.

In 1881, Mr. Macaulay was married to Miss Henrietta M. L. Bragg, who died in 1910. She was the daughter of the late Oliver Bragg, M. D., and a step-daughter of the Rev. J. Lawson Forster, D. D., of London, England. In 1912 he married Miss Margaret Allen, a daughter of the late Rev. William Allen of London, England. Many have expressed the opinion that he should take a more active part in public life for his qualifications are such as would make him a powerful factor in the discussion of important questions. He is an agreeable speaker, clear, fluent and forceful, and he has the ability of instructing while entertaining. It would be difficult to mention the line along which his usefulness has been greatest for he has accomplished much in various connections, and his work has ever been an influencing factor on the side of reform, progress, improvement and right.