Thomas Thompson (1773–1816) was a

Tyneside Tyneside is a built-up area across the banks of the River Tyne in northern England. Residents of the area are commonly referred to as Geordies. The whole area is surrounded by the North East Green Belt. The population of Tyneside as published i ...

poet, from

Bishop Auckland Bishop Auckland () is a market town and civil parish at the confluence of the River Wear and the River Gaunless in County Durham, northern England. It is northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham. Much of the town's early history surro ...

area in

County Durham County Durham ( ), officially simply Durham,UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. is a ceremonial county in North East England.North East Assembly �About North East E ...

. His last song was ''

Jemmy Joneson's Whurry Jemmy Joneson's Whurry is a traditional Geordie folk song in Geordie dialect written circa 1815, by Thomas Thompson, in a style deriving from music hall. This song appears to be the last one Thomas Thompson wrote, and the earliest record ...

'', first published in 1823, seven years after his death.

Early life

Thomas Thompson was born in 1773 in (or close to)

, 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 Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

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

Thomas Thompson was married and had (at least one) a son Robert born c1812. He built and lived in Cotfield House, Windmill Hills,

Gateshead Gateshead () is a large town in northern England. It is on the River Tyne's southern bank, opposite Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle to which it is joined by seven bridges. The town contains the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Millennium Bridge, Sage ...

. 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

His songs include: *The New Keel Row *Canny Newcastle *Newcastle election song 1812 *

Jemmy Joneson’s Whurry Jemmy Joneson's Whurry is a traditional Geordie folk song in Geordie dialect written circa 1815, by Thomas Thompson, in a style deriving from music hall. This song appears to be the last one Thomas Thompson wrote, and the earliest record ...

References

External links

FARNE Folk Archive Resource North EastMarshall’s Collection of songs chiefly in the Newcastle dialect

Palmer’s The Tyne and its tributaries
1773 births 1816 deaths English male poets English singers English songwriters Geordie songwriters People from Bishop Auckland {{England-poet-stub

Early life

Later life

Works

See also

References

External links