Sir Thomas MacFarland Cherry FAA, FRS[1] (21 May 1898 – 21 November 1966) was an Australian mathematician, serving as Professor of Mathematics (pure, mixed and applied) at the University of Melbourne from 1929 until his retirement in 1963.
[2] Tom was born in the Melbourne suburb of Glen Iris on 21 May 1898 and was educated at Scotch College where in 1914 he was dux, winning exhibitions in algebra, physics and chemistry in the public exams.
He proceeded to Ormond College at the University of Melbourne where he studied mathematics, winning prizes and scholarships.
However, his godfather Sir John MacFarland, a distinguished mathematician, physicist and the first master of Ormond College since 1881, offered him financial assistance to continue to study mathematics at Cambridge.
In 1931 he returned to England and married her on 24 January 1931 at Holy Trinity parish church in Cambridge.