Thomas Thompson (songwriter)
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Thomas Thompson (1773–1816) was a Tyneside poet, from Bishop Auckland area in County Durham. His last song was Jemmy Joneson's Whurry, first published in 1823, seven years after his death.
Early life
[edit]Thomas Thompson was born in 1773 in (or close to) Bishop Auckland, County Durham, the son of an officer who was already suffering from (what would turn out to be, a terminal) fever at the time of Thomas’ birth. He finished his education at Durham and then moved to Newcastle upon Tyne c 1790. Already a well-known and respected business man, and with the threat of war with, and invasion from, France, Thomas joined up in the Newcastle Light Horse as acting quartermaster, with a quick promotion following to rank of captain.
Later life
[edit]Thomas Thompson was married and had (at least one) a son Robert born c1812. He built and lived in Cotfield House,[1] Windmill Hills, Gateshead. Thompson became a successful merchant trader with offices in the Broad Chare, Skinners Burn, Forth Banks. In 1796 he had connections with a woollen draper, Mr D Bell, and in 1801 was trading as a general merchant trading as Armstrong, Thompson & Co. He was also known for his voluntary work in the area. He died on 9 January 1816 aged 42 at his home from exertion, cold and fatigue & similar, after trying to protect his property after an instance of the River Tyne flooding. He was buried at Old St Johns.
Works
[edit]His songs include:
- The New Keel Row
- Canny Newcastle
- Newcastle election song 1812
- Jemmy Joneson’s Whurry
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Welcome to nginx!". isee.gateshead.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
External links
[edit]- FARNE Folk Archive Resource North East
- Marshall’s Collection of songs chiefly in the Newcastle dialect'
- Palmer’s The Tyne and its tributaries