WHO WERE THE THOMPSONS

WHO WERE THE THOMPSONS

I often wish I knew more about my ancestors My grandfather was Irwin Thompson who was in the Glasgow Police Force He was married to an Elliott.There was certainly an Ulster connection as he had been in the Orange Order & with a P it is the Ulster version.Always thought Thompson was rather a common name as it means son of Thom.However, if one had been born a Campbell you would have had to live with the stigma of " Never trust a Campbell " which goes back to the massacre of Glencoe.

Granparents had seven children: Irwin ,William[my father known as Bill, Edward [Eddie], Sam ,Sadie,Margaret and John.

In many ways I think these uncles and aunts were less fortunate than my generation of cousins.They had either to leave school at 14 or their education was disrupted by the War.Eddie & Sam were in the RAF.Only the youngest John got to university, qualified as a vet and emigrated to New Zealand.Sam with his wife and two sons emigrated to Canada in the 1950s.I think one of his sons joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police {RCMP}.

My father did a six year apprenticeship and became a motor mechanic.

My grandmother ran a grocery shop.They certainly needed an other outlet to support seven children as I can't imagine police salaries being all that great.

In total I had 12 first cousins.I have known them all apart from one girl in New Zealand.

Most of this tribe had the benefit of a good education at fee paying schools in Glasgow and went onto tertiary educatio Somehow their parents found the money for the fees or they won scholarships.

This investment in education produced : two doctors, four teachers, an IT specialist, an artist ,one missionary and according to Dorothy one millionaire. I forgot one soldier.

The thompson Diaspora encompassed : South Africa, Hong Kong, Perth Australia, New Zealand Alaska, Canada & Boston Mass Not all locations were of a permanent nature. Few remained in Scotland.

Strangely it was my one cousin on my mothers side , Julia,who was braught up in Preson in Lancashire who settled in the Mull of Kintyre.  She has seven children & thirteen granchildren.
I was really closer to two third cousins Margeret & Wilma Montgomerie as I spent every summer from 7-18 on their parents farm, The Muir near Cumnock in Ayrshire.