Thomson, James

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PERSONAL DETAILS
Name/AliasJames THOMSON.
Birth date and place14 Oct 1837 Stirling, Stirlingshire, Scotland.
Baptism date and place
Civil Census Residences
TradeMason.
Physical DescriptionHeight: 5 ft. 7 ins. Complexion: fresh. Eyes: blue. Hair: dark brown.
Marriage date and place25 Oct 1861 Fremantle, Western Australia.
SpouseEllen SCOTT.
ChildrenEllen Louise b. 1862, Ballymore, Westmeath, Ireland.
Elizabeth Grace b. 1864 (d.1865), Weymouth, Dorset, England.
Amelia Grace b. 1866, Weymouth, Dorset.
Clara Madeline b. 1868, Portsea, Hampshire.
Death date and place17 Feb 1888 Fort George, Inverness, Scotland.
Cause of Death: Pneumonia 8 days.
Certified by L.W. Swabey, L.R.C.P.C. Surgeon Medical Staff.
Burial date and placeFeb 1888 Ardersier Cemetery, near Fort George, Inverness (see sidebar).
Will and ProbateInventory & Affidavit, Court Books of Inverness, 19 Mar 1888, pp.295-296.
Personal Estate £153 10s. 3d. Executrix Ellen (nee Scott) Thomson.
Death/Funeral Notices
ARMY SERVICE DETAILS
Corps and CompanyRoyal Engineers 20th Company (formerly Royal Sappers & Miners).
Service No. and Rank#2705 Sapper.
Attestation date and place14 Dec 1854 Glasgow, Lanark.
2 May 1867 Weymouth re-engaged for a further period of 9 years.
Service/CampaignsWestern Australia 5 years 35 days.
Bermuda 3 years 189 days.
Gibraltar 2 years 89 days.
MustersWO11-158 (1858) to WO11-207 (1862) Western Australia.
WO11-362 29th Company, Bermuda (1871).
PromotionsSapper to 2nd Corporal 1 Feb 1864.
2nd Corporal to Corporal 1 Apr 1866.
Corporal to Sergeant 1 Feb 1875.
Medals, Clasps and BadgesFour Good Conduct Badges.
Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.
Other Awards2nd Class School Certificate.
Casualty/MedicalNone.
Regimental Court Martial6 Apr to 9 Apr 1867. Tried for drunkenness.
10 Apr 1867 Remitted.
Discharge date and place21 Aug 1877 Pembroke Dock, South Wales.
Length of Service21 years 312 days.
Chelsea Pension ReferenceWO97-1857-31.
Post Discharge ResidencePembroke Dock, South Wales.
Pension District
Pension19d. per diem.
ARRIVAL IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
ShipNile.
Departure and Arrival datesDep. Plymouth 23 Sep 1857. Arr. Fremantle 1 Jan 1858.
Occupations post-arrival in WAInstructing Warder.
Subscriptions to FundsNone.
Land AcquisitionNone in Western Australia.
Newspaper Articles
Ship ex-WALincelles.
Departure date and destination Dep. Fremantle 27 Apr 1862 for Cape of Good Hope and London.

[Photographs of James & Ellen Thomson and the Ardersier Gravestone;
Estate Inventory records courtesy of Patsy Graham, New Zealand]