John Thomson (1816-1907)
John Thomson (1816-1907)
1907 Obituary [1]
JOHN THOMSON, son of the late Mr. James Thomson, was born in Glasgow on the 7th September, 1816, and was thus in his ninetieth year when he died at Tunbridge Wells on the 18th February, 1907.
After being educated at the Glasgow Royal High School, he entered the service of Thomas Kyle, a surveyor in large practice in Scotland, and amongst other works upon which he was employed were extensive surveys in connection with a scheme for supplying Glasgow with water from the Avon and the Gill, for which the late James M. Rendel, Past-President, was the Engineer. The extreme care and accuracy shown by Mr. Thomson in the preparation of the parliamentary plans, and indeed in all his work, attracted the notice of Mr. Rendel, and on the completion of the survey he offered the young surveyor a position of responsibility in his office in London.
Mr. Thomson’s duties were at first technical and secretarial, but he subsequently became Mr. Rendel’s private secretary, and retained this position until Mr. Rendel’s death in 1856, continuing to act in a similar capacity for some time afterwards under his son, Sir Alexander Rendel.
In 1859 Mr. Thomson joined A. G. Browning, another member of Mr. Rendel’s staff, in business as London agents for several prominent engineering firms, an association which continued until Mr. Thomson’s retirement in 1885.
Since that date Mr. Thomson passed an exceptionally quiet and uneventful life at Tunbridge Wells.
A man of extremely careful and frugal habits, a generous portion of the fortune which he amassed is bequeathed for charitable purposes, the Benevolent Fund of The Institution of Civil Engineers being amongst the beneficiaries.
Mr. Thomson was elected an Associate of The Institution on the 3rd May, 1859.