John James THOMSON

• BIRTH: CIR 1846, Barony, Lanark, Scotland
• BAPTISM: 26 MAR 1846, Barony, Lanark, Scotland [S122]
• DEATH: 22 JUL 1933, Christchurch, NZ [S117]

• OCCUPATION: Runholder
• REFERENCE: CC 43

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                    _____ THOMSON _|
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 _William THOMSON _|
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|--John James THOMSON 
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|_Georgina SCOTT __|
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Notes

Christs College 1855-62, Son of William Thomson, Papanui. XI 1859-60. Captain XXII. Football 1862. Donor of Thomson Park, Cashmere Hills. d. 22 july 1933 in Christchurch. (See Register Aug 1933) - ref CC School list 5th ed 1935.

Lyttelton THOMSON

• BIRTH: CIR 1853, Lyttelton, NZ
• DEATH: CIR 1853

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                    _____ THOMSON _|
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 _William THOMSON _|
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|--Lyttelton THOMSON 
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|_Georgina SCOTT __|
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Notes

Oliver Scott Kerr THOMSON

• BIRTH: CIR 1857, N Z
• DEATH: 21 MAY 1928, Geraldine, NZ

• OCCUPATION: Sheepfarmer
• REFERENCE: CC 393

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                    _____ THOMSON _|
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 _William THOMSON _|
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|--Oliver Scott Kerr THOMSON 
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|_Georgina SCOTT __|
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Notes

William THOMSON

• BIRTH: 19 JAN 1851, Glasgow, Scotland [S4]
• BAPTISM: 23 FEB 1851, Barony, Lanark, Scotland [S123]
• DEATH: 9 JUN 1908, Auckland, NZ [S4]
• BURIAL: Papanui Cemetery

• OCCUPATION: Sheepfarmer
• REFERENCE: CC 178

• MARRIAGE: CIR 1897

1. Arthur Shirley THOMSON

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                    _____ THOMSON _|
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 _William THOMSON _|
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|--William THOMSON 
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|_Georgina SCOTT __|
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Notes

William THOMSON

• BIRTH: CIR 1850
• BAPTISM: FEB 1850, Barony, Lanark, Scotland [S123]
• DEATH: CIR 1850

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                    _____ THOMSON _|
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 _William THOMSON _|
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|--William THOMSON 
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|_Georgina SCOTT __|
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Notes

William THOMSON

• BIRTH: 26 MAR 1818, Edinburgh, Scotland [S107]
• DEATH: 20 APR 1866, Papanui, Christchurch, NZ [S108]

• OCCUPATION: Runholder

• MARRIAGE: 3 JUN 1845, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland

1. John James THOMSON
2. Elizabeth THOMSON
3. Florence Agnes May THOMSON
4. William THOMSON
5. William THOMSON
6. Lyttelton THOMSON
7. Oliver Scott Kerr THOMSON
8. Georgina THOMSON
9. David THOMSON
10. Alice THOMSON

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 _____ THOMSON _|
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|--William THOMSON 
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Notes

Mr William Thomson occupied a seat in the House of Representatives, as member for Avon, from 1862 to 1865. He was also a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council, and subsequently became Provincial Auditor, which he continued to be to the date of his death. Mr Thomson was born in Edinburgh on 26th March 1818, and was the son of an old Scottish printer. He was educated at the Edinburgh Southern Academy, where he won the medal for arithmetic. After gaining an experience in commercial life, as an accountant in Glasgow, he left for New Zealand in the ship "Hampshire" which arrived at Lyttelton in May, 1853. During the same year he purchased a property from Mr A A Dobbs, at Governors Bay, where he engaged in dairy farming and in supplying Lyttelton with firewood. These pursuits not proving sufficiently lucrative, he disposed of his property to Mr William Sefton Moorhouse, and removed to Papanui. Mr Thomson them commenced business in Christchurch as an auctioneer and accountant, and erected the first auction mart in the city, on the site where Inglis' Buildings now stand. Subsequently he retired from this business, and became associated with Mr Willis in the proprietorship of the "Canterbury Standard" newspaper. He also took up, and was part owner of, Lochinvar station of the river Esk, which he stocked with cattle. Mr Thomson took a very active part in forming the Canterbury Agricultural Association, in which he always evinced a lively interest. He was also a member of the Canterbury Jockey Club, and one of the promoters of the old stone grandstand. Having been a member of the Glasgow Yeomanry Cavalry, he naturally was much interested in the formation of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry, and was one of the first captains of that corps. Mr Thomson married Miss Scott, only daughter of a Glasgow Merchant, and had a family of four sons and four daughters. He died at Papanui, on 26th April 1866. -ref The Cyclopedia of New Zealand p93-4

Lochinvar

(Runs 283, 284, 309 and 310; in 1889 became Run 177)

Lochinvar is bounded on the North by the Dampier Range where it joins Esk Head, on the east by the Puketeraki Range and on the west by a branch of the Poulter River.

It was taken up in 1858-9 by Willian Thomson. His son John James Thomson, who supplied much of the information for these notes, with three other men dove the first cattle in to stock the station in 1860. There was no track and so they followed the bed of the Esk River from its junction with the Waimakariri. They were two and a half days taking the cattle from the Avoca to the station. When Richard Taylor, a brewer who owned Birdling Brook Station on Lake Ellesmere, purchased these cattle, J J Thomson delivered them by driving them over the Puketeraki and one of his men was frostbitten. Thomson's manager was a Canadian.

Willian Thomson was also an auctioneer, a shareholder in the Canterbury Standard, a Christchurch newspaper, 1854-66, and a leading representative of the pastoralists in the Privincial Council. (see A History of Christchurch II p 88). He came to Canterbury in 1853 and died at Papanui in 1866, aged forty nine. While Thomson owned Lochinvar, Charles Edward Fooks had a share in it. Fooks also held a run near Papanui. Until 1866 the leases of Lochinvar were held by the Bank of New Zealand and so changes in ownership cannot be dated. About 1861 Thomson sold to a man named 'Benley' or 'Bewley' who passed it on almost at once to W S Moorhouse, the superintendent of the province, and R M Morten....

- ref The Early Canterbury Runs L G D Acland 4th edition

Moorhouse and the tunnel contract... p 87

The Provincial Council had also to express their approval within that time. John Ollivier, who had been Provincial Secretary almost from the beginning of the second council, did not expect serious opposition.... His optimism was ill founded... However outside the council and especially in the towns resistance to the tunnel scheme faded away... The opposition was reduced to two: William Thomson (Avon), the auctioneer, who was also leader of the squatters, and G A E Ross the Wanaka runholder, who represented Rakaia. ...p91 It is fair conjecture that John Ollivier, who had resigned from office as secretary on 8 Nov 1859 but who continued, while other men held the official position, to act as a leader of government business in the chamber, was instrumental in persuading Moorhouse to adopt a concilatory attitude. .... p 93 At the dinner which followed the chairman was William Thomson. The part played in the welcome by this former opponent of the railway scheme was proff of the strength of popular feeling that had converted even this bulky Scotsman into a Moorhouse supporter. -ref A history of Canterbury vol II W H Scotter 1971 North Shore Library

Note: Arthur Ollivier#92 married Agnes Thomson #95 were children of the above protagonists. Kim went to school with Warren Scotter.

T220 THOMSON, William (1818-66) was the son of a printer and was born in Edinburgh and after attending Edinburgh Southern Academy was employed as an accountant in Glasgow; he had won a medal for arithmetic at Edinburgh. He arrived at Lyttelton in 1853 in the Hampshire with his wife and family and lived first in Sally Gully, Lyttelton. He bought land in Governor's Bay from A A Dobbs where he had a dairy farm and sold firewood to Lyttelton; this was the famous Ohinetahi where T H Potts later made his beautiful home. Thomson called it Hemmingford and sold it to W S Moorhouse. He made his home at Papanui and called it Scotstown and went into business in Chch as an accountant and auctioneer. On the year of his arrival, 1853, he went to a ball held on the Queen's Birthday 24 May 1853 in full highland costume. He had ordered this when he had served as one of the Queen's escort on her first visit to Balmoral [Victoria]; He was a member of the General Assembly 1862-65. When he was living at Governors Bay there was only a narrow track running between the two Maori pahs at Kaupaki. He was held up there once by the Maoris but he treated an old woman for colic and they let him go. He left there at the end of 1855. His first auction mart was in Cashel St next to the present Canterbury Farmers Meat Co office. The first American buggy was sold there. In 1853 Thomson and James Willis took over the Canterbury Standard, founded by Joseph Brittan. After the Press started in Chch there were 3 daily papers in Chch. The Standard finally sold out in April 1866, the goodwill, stock and plant were sold for 1155 pounds. The purchaser was a Mr Smith who said he was going to carry on as a job printer. The office was in Hereford St near Oxford terrace and was destroyed by fire in June 1867. J J Thomson said the Standard destroyed the health and wealth of his father. Thomson was a church property trustee for Papanui in 1859. He was elected treasurer of the Canterbury Jockey Club in 1859 and for years acted as clerk of the scales which at that time was an honorary job. He was a lay member of the first Doicesan Synod. He was a member of the CJC Committee in 1855 - the second year of the club's existence and continued to be a member. He was elected a member of the Provincial Council Nov 1857 and was Provincial Auditor until his death. He was one of the promoters of the old stone stand at Riccarton [Racecourse]; the contributors were given free admittance for life. In his paddock at Papanui one of Heath's patent mowing machines was tested. Up to this time (Dec 1861) crops had been cut by a mowing machine but not a crop of hay. He was present at the famous prize fight on the banks of the Waimakiriri. He was not charged but gave evidence in favour of Cousins who was. He wrote an indignant letter to the Press saying that he went into the ring to help the police. He criticised the police for showing their revolvers and making threatening remarks to the crowd.; there were only 3 police who had to deal with a tough crowd of some hundreds. His rather sanctimonious letter of explanation for being in the ring brought forth a brilliant and caustic poem entitled "The Ring" in the Press 9.8.1862. The prize fight, the scene in the Magistrates Court, the letters to the paper, the rhymes, altogether made up one of the most interesting and exciting scenes in the life of early Canterbury. Most of the well-known sporting men of Canterbury were present. Thatcher, the comedian and rhymster produced something for the occasion. Thomson came in for a lot of chaff. He admitted he crawled out of the ring on his hands and knees among the horses feet. In 1863 during his time as Provincial Auditor and enquiry was held as to methods of payment in the Public Works Department. Wm Thomson as a result of it made certain recommendations to the Speaker C Bowen. Nothing serious was unearthed, better methods of payment of wages and to contractors were recommended and the carrying of large amounts of stores by the Provincial Government was declared no longer necessary. When Roads Boards were started in 1864 he was chosen as chairman of the East Avon Roads Board. He put his name down for the CYC Oct 1864 and was chosen as one of the 3 Captains of the Corps. He was appointed as Inspector under the Debtors and Creditors Act Feb 1866, retaining his office of Provincial Auditor. This was stongly criticised by the Lyttelton Times; but he did not draw the full salaries of both offices. He died at Scotstown, Papanui 20.4.1866. He was given a military funeral which was the greatest military function up to that time in the brief history of Canterbury. The CYC paraded (not mounted) and the Lyttelton Artillery lent a gun carriage for a hearse. The Govt offices were closed at 1 o'clock. The brass band played the Dead March in Saul: 6 captains were pall bearers; there ws a firing party with arms reversed. His accoutrements were laid on the coffin which was covered with a Union Jack. His charger was led behind with a captain's equipment and the bods? reversed. The Bishop met the cortege at the gate of the Papanui churchyard. He married Georgina Scott, daughter of a Glasgow merchant. She d. 18.1.1894 aged 75. His Papanui home Scotstown ran apparently from Leinster Rd to Elmwood. His house and grounds of 50 acres were offered for sale immediately after his death by order of the mortgagee Miss James Willis; apparently it was not sold and it was then offered to let. The station known as Lochinvar up the Esk River was taken up by Wm Thomson in 1858 and 1859. C E Fooks had a share in it. Thomson's son John James was one to four who took the cattle in to stock it. He also helped to drive them out when Richard Taylor bought them. Lochinvar was advertised for sale May 1867 as follows: 64,500 acres leasehold, 320 acres freehold including 20 acres bush, 9,500 sheep, 10 bullocks, 2 huts, woolshed (LT 9.5.67) It was withdrawn at the upset price of 10,000 pounds. He was a foundation member of the Canterbury A&P Association. Before the coffin was in the ground there were two eager claimants for his post as Provincial Auditor - John Ollivier and H E Alport. Ollivier had been angling to be the next Speaker but he was satisfied to be Auditor - a position he filled capably. Crosbie Ward included him in his pictures of council members. "First rose burly Scotie-Thomson He the prtly big and bulky Round proportioned talking loudly Making little men to tremble." E J Burke describe him as "loud, scotch-accented, sounding voice pulling his dumbrearies with ringing laugh. (?)"

G R MacDonald Dictionary of Canterbury Biographies Canterbury Museum T 220 _____________________________________________________________________________

____ THOMSON

• OCCUPATION: Printer

1. William THOMSON

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|--____ THOMSON 
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Notes

Mary THORPE

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|--Mary THORPE 
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Cornelius TRAVELLER

• OCCUPATION: Clergyman

• MARRIAGE: 10 AUG 1818, Northwood, Isle of Wight, Hampshire

1. Elizabeth Donaldson TRAVELLER

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|--Cornelius TRAVELLER 
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Notes

Elizabeth Donaldson TRAVELLER

• BIRTH: 1 MAY 1820, East Indies (India) [S9]
• DEATH: 25 APR 1877, Hokitika [S45]

• OCCUPATION: Domestic

• MARRIAGE: 18 JAN 1840, Cathedral, Madras, East Indies

1. Edward Guerin PRICE
2. Alice Louisa PRICE
3. Jessie Helen PRICE
4. Charles Damacis PRICE
5. Grace PRICE
6. Susan Burgh PRICE
7. Matthew PRICE
8. Mary Garret PRICE
9. Florence Blessington PRICE

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 _Cornelius TRAVELLER _|
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|--Elizabeth Donaldson TRAVELLER 
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|_Elizabeth DONALDSON _|
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Notes