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Neighbourhood > Character Profiles > Tom Ramsay Gary Files

[Thomas] Tom Ramsay 1986, 1990-1991
Lived: 24 Ramsay Street
Parents: Dan and Edna Ramsay
Marital Status: Doreen Leicester (died 1986)
Siblings: Max and Madge
Children: Moira and Gemma
Occupation: Plumber

Second son of Dan and Edna Ramsay, Tom Ramsay was brought up in the street named after his grandfather Jack Ramsay in Erinsborough. But when Dan lost his job, the Ramsays moved to Brisbane were Tom fell in love with a young nurse from the local hospital, Doreen Leicester. They married and had two daughters, Moira and Gemma. As Moira grew, she was constantly at loggerheads with her stubborn father and shocked him when she eloped with her boyfriend, leading the two to lose contact. Gemma, meanwhile, was the apple of Tom's eye and could never do wrong in her father's eyes. But tragedy struck the family when Doreen died suddenly and Tom was left with the prospect of bringing up Gemma alone. Fearing he would be unable to provide her with enough love and support, he sent her to stay with Doreen's relatives on their farm.

Tom, meanwhile, returned to Ramsay Street to live with his sister, Madge and take over his older brother Max's plumbing business. But it was far from domestic bliss at No. 24 with Madge and Tom - both brash Ramsays - constantly bickering. Tom threw a spanner in the works when he announced to Madge his plans to sell No. 24 to a property development company wanting to build a supermarket on Ramsay Street. Max had signed over his half of the house to Tom and he was adamant to go ahead with it until Madge convinced him it was the Ramsay family home and should always stay in the family.

A keen athlete, Tom soon recognised that local boy Mike Young had good potential as a swimmer and began training him. But Danny, who looked up to his uncle, began to feel left out and arranged for Tom to teach him how to play golf. Despite this, Tom still concentrated mostly on Mike and failed to recognise his neglect of Danny.

Love blossomed for Tom when Jean Richards, arrived in Erinsborough to provide some business classes for a few of the locals. After a shaky start, since Tom didn't approve of people taking books and education too seriously, he and Jean started seeing each other and he proposed. But Jean turned him down and tragedy struck when she was killed in a car accident on the way to the airport. Her death was made more painful for Tom as his nephew Shane, who had been driving the car, was charged with involuntary manslaughter - although he was later cleared.

Tom was delighted when his mother, Edna, visited and showed him a photo of baby Holly, his granddaughter. Having been unaware that his estranged daughter, Moira, was even pregnant, this spurred him on to get in touch with her and build some bridges. Wanting a clean break, Tom decided to go and live with Moira in Ipswich, Queensland in order to make up for lost time.

Tom returned to Ramsay Street briefly a few years later to visit Madge and daughter Gemma, who had since come to stay with her aunt at No. 24. Tom's visit was under stressful circumstances as Gemma had been involved in a motorbike accident, nearly losing her leg. Tom was quick to let his fiery Ramsay temperament return to the fore when he confronted Gemma's boyfriend, Matt Robinson, who had been riding the bike.

Biography by Moe

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Actor Profile: Gary Files

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