T. G. Tucker was the son of Charles Tucker, agent, and his wife Elizabeth, née Rolfe. He was educated at Northampton Grammar School, the Royal Grammar School at Lancaster and at St John's College, Cambridge (BA, 1882; MA, 1885; LittD, 1890), where he was Brown's medallist (1879, 1880), Craven scholar (1881), senior classic and chancellor's medallist and fellow (1882). In 1885 Tucker was appointed professor of classical philology at the University of Melbourne after the resignation of H.A. Strong. As a classical scholar, Tucker won respect and recognition for his editions and commentaries on Aeschylus.
Tucker's reputation as a lecturer extended to public addresses on platforms such as those provided by the Beefsteak Club, the Socialist Hall, the Pleasant Sunday Afternoon or the Medical Students' Society. He was a trustee of the Public Library, museums and National Gallery of Victoria. Known as the 'literary oracle of Melbourne' in the 1890s, he exercised considerable influence through his leaders in the Argus. After he retired from academia in 1920, he was employed, among other literary advisers, by George Robertson (q.v.) to read manuscripts and to 'lick them into shape' for publication. Tucker also edited, with Walter Murdoch (q.v.), Illustrative Prose and Verse : a companion to a new primer of English literature (1908).
In 1934 Tucker married A. S. H. Weigall, mother of Joan Lindsay (qq.v.), who has left an affectionate portrait of him: 'Tall, slim, surprisingly upright even in old age and always something of a dandy, gloves and a light cane, a broad brimmed fedora hat, patent leather shoes, large pearl tie pin and an unusually high white collar...were typical accessories of his wardrobe. The lean craggy face with its gingery grey moustache and bright blue eyes was...vivacious and...full of personal charm.'
(Source: K. J. McKay, 'Tucker, Thomas George (1859-1946)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, Melbourne University Press 1990, pp. 277-278)
