Thomas James Thompson

Grandson and heir of Thomas Pepper Thompson (q.v.), and founder of a dynasty in English social and cultural life. The compensation for the enslaved people on three estates in Jamaica that had belonged to Thomas Pepper Thompson was paid into the Chancery suit of Adam Cliff [the executor of Thomas Pepper Thompson] versus T.J. Thompson.

1. Son of James Thompson and 'Creole' mistress Mary Edwards, and grandson of Thomas Pepper Thompson. Born Jamaica, racial heritage unknown, although his father James was himself illegitimate. "Thomas James Thompson illegitimate son of Mary Edwards Free Mustee and the late James Thompson Esqr of Vale Royal Estate, born July 9th 1811 and baptised 19th Decr. 1811." Friend of Dickens, father of the writer Alice Meynell. Came to England with his grandfather after his father's death.

2. Thomas Pepper Thompson [b. 1739? Notes and Queries] died Liverpool 29/12/1820; his wife Amelia died at her residence in St Anne Street Liverpool in 1822 aged 89.

3. Thomas and his wife Matilda Frances Thompson had a daughter, also called Matilda Thompson, in 1834. Matilda senior must have died shortly after the birth as she was buried in Kensal Green All Souls Cemetery in London 28/07/1834 age 23 (her address on the burial record is given as 21 Grove Terrace, St John's Wood). Matilda junior was baptised 08/10/1834 at St Giles in the Fields, Holborn (her father's address on the baptism record is given as 84 Gower Street). Thomas remarried in 1845 to Christiana Jane Weller.

4. In 1851, he was living on the High Street, Cheltenham, age 39, Fundholder, born Jamaica, with his second wife Christiana (aged 25, born Cheltenham), three daughters (Matilda, age 16, born in Middlesex, London, Elizabeth Southerdon age 4 born in Lausanne, Switzerland and Alice C. age 3 born in Barnes, Surrey. In 1871 he was at 8 Summer Terrace, Kensington, Income from dividends, with his wife and 2 youngest daughters. By 1881 he had moved to 3 Brandenburg Road, Chiswick.

5. Thomas James Thompson formerly of 3 Tregunter Road Boltons South Kensington but late of 3 Brandenburg Road Gunnersbury died 11/05/1881; personal estate £7443 12s 6d, will proved by Christiana Jane Thompson of 3 Brandenburg Road widow the relict and sole executrix.

6. Thomas James Thompson's daughters Alice Meynell and Elizabeth Southerden Butler are in the ODNB as 'poet and journalist' and 'military painter' respectively. Alice Meynell's children Viola Mary Gertrude Meynell and Sir Francis Meredith Wilfrid Meynell in turn have entries as 'novelist and short-story writer' and 'typographer and publisher' respectively.

1. http:/www.manfamily.org/alice_meynell.htm which has two unsourced articles on the family. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online].

2. London Gazette, Issue 19264, 27/02/1835, p. 840; Liverpool Mercury 05/04/1822 Marriages and Deaths.

3. Ancestry.com, London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906 [database online]. Ancestry.com, London, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1980 [database online]. FreeUKGen, England and Wales Free BMD Database, Marriages, 1837-1983 [database online].

4. 1851, 1871 and 1881 censuses online.

5. National Probate Calendar 1881.

6. June Badeni, ‘Meynell , Alice Christiana Gertrude (1847–1922)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2016 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/35008, accessed 5 July 2016]; Paul Usherwood, ‘Butler , Elizabeth Southerden, Lady Butler (1846–1933)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/32209, accessed 5 July 2016]; Raymond N. MacKenzie, ‘Meynell , Viola Mary Gertrude (1885–1956)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/53773, accessed 5 July 2016]; David McKitterick, ‘Meynell, Sir Francis Meredith Wilfrid (1891–1975)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2012 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/31442, accessed 5 July 2016]