Oxford History: Mayors & Lord Mayors

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William Thompson was born in St Aldate’s, Oxford on 6 February 1811 and baptised there on 10 March. His parents were William Thompson senior, a carver and gilder of that parish, and Catherine Hayes, who were married at St Peter-le-Bailey Church on 6 September 1802. They had six other children baptised at St Aldate's: Ann Hayes Thompson (b. 25 August 1804), Sara Catherine Thompson (b. 26 August 1806), Eliza Thompson (b.14 January 1809), Catherine Thompson (b. 29 September 1814), Elizabeth Thompson (b. 14 December 1816), and Georgiana Eaton Thompson (b. 8 September 1818).

William Thompson’s father of the same name is listed in Pigot's Directory for 1823 under the heading “Printsellers, Carver & Gilders, & Picture Frame Makers” as trading in St Aldate’s, but by the time of the 1830 directory he also had a shop in Oxford’s High Street.

In 1831, at the age of 20, Thompson was initiated as a Freemason in Alfred Lodge.

By the time of Robson’s Directory for 1839, Thompson had joined his father in his business, which was now described as William Thompson & Son and was situated at 39 High Street, on the corner of Queen’s Lane (now part of Queen’s Lane Coffee House). They were specifically described as “Printsellers, Gilders, Picture Frame Makers & House Painters”.

On 20 July 1836 at Iffley, William Thompson, described as being of St Peter-in-the-East parish, married Ella Allin (who was born in High Wycombe c.1810). They remained at 39 High Street, and the first six of their eleven children were born there:

• William Allin Thompson (baptised on 24 August 1838 at St Peter-in-the-East Church)
• Anne Ella Allen Thompson (baptised on 13 November 1839 at St Peter-in-the-East Church;
  died on 28 February 1842 at the age of 2 years and 5 months and was buried at that church
  a week later, with her death announced in Jackson’s Oxford Journal)
• Walter Thompson (baptised on 21 February 1841 at St Peter-in-the-East Church)
• Fanny Augusta Thompson (baptised on 17 June 1842 at St Peter-in-the-East Church)
• Horace Vincent Thompson (born in Oxford in 1843/4, but no baptism found)
• Edith Thompson (baptised on 21 May 1845 at St Peter-in-the-East Church).

In 1838 William Thompson was described in his eldest son's baptismal entry as a carver and painter, but at his children's baptisms thereafter he is recorded as a printseller.

At the time of the 1841 census, William Thompson and his wife Ella (both aged 30) were at home at 39 High Street with their first three young children and two female servants.

Thompson was elected a member of the Apollo University Lodge in 1841, where he succeeded his father as Treasurer, and was appointed Worshipful Master in 1846 and Senior Grand Warden of the Province in 1849.

In 1846 Thompson moved his business and his family moved to 59 (now 60) High Street (also in St Peter-in-the-East parish), and the Manciple of St Edmund Hall took over his former shop. Thompson’s next two children would thus have been born at 59 High Street:

• Florence Rosa Thompson (baptised on 21 September 1848 at St Peter-in-the-East Church)
• Ella Helena Thompson (baptised on 14 December 1849 at St Peter-in-the-East Church).

Thompson was elected a member of Oxford Town Council in 1847, and represented the East Ward for many years. He was also Vice-Chairman of the Board of Guardians.

At the time of the 1851 census Thompson and his wife were inexplicably living in the vicarage at Sutton Courtenay, but he was still described as a printseller, as well as a [house] painter. Six of his children were at home with them.

The last three of Thompson’s eleven children were born in the 1850s:

• Herbert Montague Thompson (baptised on 5 May 1852 at St Peter-in-the-East Church)
• Harold Thompson (baptised on 10 July 1853 at Littlemore)
• Evelyn Gertrude Thompson (baptised on 24 August 1856 at St Peter-in-the-East Church).

He is probably the William Thompson who owned land in Iffley and/or Littlemore who signed a joint notice published in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 25 August 1855 announcing that anyone trespassing on his land would be prosecuted.

By 1858 William Thompson of the High Street, Oxford was Secretary to the Farmers' Club.

On 5 November 1859 Jackson's Oxford Journal reported that two paintings by the French artist Rosa Bonheur were on display at “Mr. William Thompson's picture gallery, in the High Street”.

On 25 December 1859 Thompson took out a seven-year lease on Thornbury Lodge, Park Town, a detached villa described as fronting the Summer Town (Banbury) Road, at a rental of £68 5s. a year.

Thompson was appointed Sheriff of Oxford in 1860/1 and 1861/2, and during his shrievalty in 1862 the foundation stone of the new Corn Exchange in the Town Hall yard was laid with Masonic forms, and he gave a large party on the occasion in the Town Hall.

The 1861 census shows Thompson at the age of 50, living with his wife at Thornbury Lodge. He was described as a printseller and Sheriff of Oxford. Five of his children were at home: William (22), who was a medical student, Walter (20), who was an articled clerk to a solicitor, Horace (17), who was a printseller, and Harold (7), and Evelyn (4). The family had one servant. On 2 November 1861, owing to the winding up of the Park Town Estate Company Ltd, his house was advertised thus for sale thus in Jackson's Oxford Journal:

Lot 3.—"THORNBURY LODGE,” a detached VILLA RESIDENCE, with balcony, fronting the Summer Town Road, surrounded with tastefully laid out flower garden, &c. the House containing drawing room, dining room, and library on the ground floor; three bed rooms and w.c. on the fist floor; four bed rooms and two closets on the second floor; with kitchen, scullery, larder and store-room, butler's pantry, wine, beer, and coal cellars, and w.c. in the basement, in the occupation of Mr. Sheriff Thompson, at a rental of £68 5s. per annum.—This lot is subject to a perpetual rent charge of £10 per annum.

In May 1861 his eldest son William Allin Thompson, a student of King's College, London, was admitted a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, and May 1863 a Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries. Then in October 1864 he passed the examination for the degree of Licentiate of Midwifery. (More about him and his three wives can be found here.)

On 8 November 1862 Thompson thanked the burgesses of the East Ward for electing him to the Town Council for the sixth time. Around the same time he was was made an Alderman and elected Mayor of Oxford (for 1862/3). During his mayoralty he organized a huge bazaar in St John’s College gardens which raised £2250 for the Radcliffe Infirmary (as a result of which he was appointed a Life Governor). On 8 September 1863 he performed the regular mayoral duty of perambulating the city boundary.

• Portrait of William Thompson painted in 1863 at the end of his mayoralty and now hanging in the Town Hall.

Thompson's mother died in 1868, and the following notice appeared in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 8 August that year:

DIED. Aug. 3, at Aston Park, near Birmingham, in the 88th year of her age, Catherine, relict of William Thompson, Esq., of London-place, St. Clement's, and mother of Ald. Thompson of this city.

Thompson retired as an Alderman later in 1868, and was appointed a Justice of the Peace in March 1870.

The 1871 census shows Thompson at the age of 60, again living with his wife at Thornbury Lodge. He was described as a Justice of the Peace for Oxford as well as a “printseller, and house painter and decorator employing an assistant and eight artisans”. Their son Walter (30), who was now an attorney at law, was living with them, as well as four of their daughters (all described as of “no occupation”): Fanny (28), Edith (26), Florence (22), and Ella (21). They had two servants. Just four months after that census, Thompson died.

† William Thompson died on 8 August 1871 at the age of 60 at Thornbury Lodge in Park Town. His funeral two days later was held at St Peter-in-the-East Church, The Mayor and Corporation in their robes of office, preceded by the Macebearer with the mace covered in black crape, and the Rector of the City Church at Carfax, followed the coffin to Holywell Cemetery, where he was buried (Plot G.56, right).

Thompson’s business at 59 (now 60) High Street closed soon after his death: an advertisement in Jackson’s Oxford Journal for 5 July 1873 read: “To let, with immediate possession,—- the extensive business premises for many years in the occupation of Mr Thompson, printseller”.

On 16 Jun 1874 his daughter Florence Rosa Thompson was married from Thornbury Lodge at Ss Philip & James's Church to Thomas Arthur Nicholls and

His widow Ella Thompson moved to 7 Norham Road, and died there on 11 September 1875 at the age of 64 and was buried with him. The sale of their fine furniture was advertised in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 4 December 1875.

On 9 November 1875 their daughter Evelyn Gertrude Thompson was married from 7 Norham Road at Ss Philip & James's Church to the Revd Edward Townend.

Their second son Walter Thompson died at the age of 46 in 1887 and was buried with his parents on 6 April.