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Was born at Edinburgh on 1
June 1800. His father Sir John Deas Thomson, was accountant-general to the
navy and married Rebecca, daughter of John Freer. Their son was educated
at Edinburgh high school, and at Harrow. He afterwards spent two years in
study at Caen in Normandy. He then began working with his father who at
that time was reorganizing the system of keeping accounts in the navy. In
1826 Thomson visited the United States and Canada, and on his return in
1827 accepted the position of registrar of the orphan chambers at
Demarara. Before leaving England he was able to arrange to exchange this
position for that of clerk to the New South Wales legislative and
executive councils. He arrived in Sydney in December 1828 and proved to be
a valuable officer. In January 1837 he became colonial secretary at a
salary of £1500 a year and held this position for nearly 20 years. He
carried out his duties with much tact, and during the stormy period of the
governorship of Sir George Gipps (q.v.) it has been said of him that he
was personally so respected that members of the council found it almost
painful to oppose him. His experience was particularly useful during the
passing of the constitution bill, and he was sent with Wentworth (q.v.) to
England to see the bill through the Imperial parliament. In 1854 he was
given a public testimonial, half the amount subscribed being expended on a
piece of plate and the remainder given to Sydney university to found a
scholarship in his name. Thomson was asked by the governor, Sir William
Denison (q.v.), to form the first government under the new constitution
but was unable to do so. He entered the legislative council and was
vice-president of the executive council in the Parker (q.v.) ministry, and
on 19 August 1857 moved for a select committee on the question of
Australian federation. The committee reported in favour of a federal
assembly being established but the Charles Cowper (q.v.) ministry had come
into power in the meantime, and the question was shelved.
Thomson continued to be a
member of the legislative council until his death, but his health had
suffered from his heavy work as colonial secretary and he no longer
attempted to take a leading part in its proceedings. He had been granted a
substantial pension on his retirement in 1856 and he now had time to
devote himself to other interests. He had been an original member of the
senate of the university of Sydney when it was founded in 1850, he became
vice-chancellor in 1862, and was chancellor from 1865 until 1878. He took
an interest in sporting matters and for some years was president of the
Australian jockey Club. During his visit to England he had been made a
C.B. and he was created K.C.M.G. in 1874. He died on 16 July 1879. He
married the second daughter of Sir Richard Bourke (q.v.), who survived him
with two sons and five daughters. His portrait is in the great hall of the
university of Sydney.
Thomson had immense
influence in the period just preceding responsible government. He was the
ideal public servant, well-educated, capable, loyal, honest, calm and
tactful, earning the respect of even the stormy spirits who brought Gipps
to his grave. He showed wisdom on the financial side in his tariff bill of
1852, and, though his work for federation was based on Wentworth's, he
ranks among the early federalists. |
