George Thompson

biography

From Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 56 Thomson, George (fl.1643-1668) by Edward Irving Carlyle

THOMSON, GEORGE (fl. 1643–1668), parliamentarian, was the son of Robert Thomson of Watton, Hertfordshire, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Harsflet or Halfehead of the same place. The family were staunch parliamentarians, and early in 1643 George held the commission of captain of a troop of horse under William Russell, fifth earl of Bedford. In the following year he served under Sir William Waller [q. v.] in his western campaign, and about the same time attained the rank of colonel; but, losing his leg in action, he retired from military service (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1644, pp. 33, 102, 107, 108, 136, 153). He was returned to parliament for the borough of Southwark, probably in August 1645, and on 18 Feb. 1650–1 was appointed a member of the council of state (ib. 1651, p. 45). On 8 April following he became a commissioner of customs, and in 1652 he was sent to the fleet as a commissioner to consult with Blake and report the condition of affairs to the council (ib. 1651–2, passim; Journals of the House of Commons, vii. 118). On 2 Dec. 1652 he was appointed to the committee for the admiralty, the committee for the ordnance, and the committee for trades, plantations, and foreign affairs (Cal. State Papers, 1652–3, p. 2). But in April 1653 the differences between Cromwell and the Long parliament came to a head, and the parliament was dissolved. On 18 May Thomson was dismissed from his posts of commissioner of the customs and of the army and navy, as well as from his other offices (ib. p. 335). Released from active employment, he occupied his leisure with the mystical speculations of the Fifth-monarchy men, whose opinions he embraced.

He returned to Westminster on 7 May 1659 with the remainder of the Long parliament. On 16 May he was appointed a member of the council of state, and on 8 July he was added to the committee for intelligence (ib. 1658–9 p. 349, 1659–60 p. 11). On 18 Aug. he was appointed colonel of a regiment of volunteers to be raised in London (ib. pp. 124, 563).

After the Restoration Thomson took refuge at the residence of his brother Morris at Lee in Kent, and occupied himself in anti-royalist intrigues (ib. 1661–2, pp. 97, 122, 125). On 31 Oct. 1661 a warrant was issued for his apprehension. For some time he remained in obscurity, but about the beginning of 1668 he was nominated to the commission of accounts (Pepys, Diary, ed. Braybrooke, iv. 285, 287, 355, v. 67). The date of his death is unknown. He married Elizabeth, daughter of James Brickland of Thorncliff in Cheshire.

[Harl. Soc. Publ. xvii. 282; Cal. State Papers, passim; Peacock's Army Lists, p. 49; Masson's Life of Milton, index; Thurloe's State Papers, p. 492; Whitelocke's Memorials, p. 235.]

notes

was a Puritan. died at age 91.

From Passengers of the George

The following entiries were obtained from my Hotten book 8a from the Musters of the Inhabitants in Virginia 1624/1625 chapters, pages 201 thru 265, which lists the muster captain, and what ship the individual arrived on.

• Tucker, Mary, 1623 voyage, wife of Capt. William, muster at Elizabeth City.
• Thompson, William, 1623 voyage, aged 17 at muster at Elizabeth City under Capt William Tucker.
• Tompson, George, 1623 voyage, aged 17 at muster at Elizabeth City under Capt William Tucker.
• Tompson, Paule, 1623 voyage, aged 14 at muster at Elizabeth City under Capt William Tucker.

  ---

• Updated from RootsWeb's WorldConnect via father Ralphe Thompson by SmartCopy: Jun 20 2015, 19:49:10 UTC
• THOMPSON, Sir William (1614-81), of Lime Street, London and Osterley Park, Mdx. "4th son of Robert Thompson of Cheshunt, Herts. by Elizabeth, da. of John Halfhead of Watton-at-Stone, Herts. William Thompson was the youngest of four brothers of an obscure Hertfordshire family who made successful business careers in the City. The eldest, Maurice, was the father of Sir John Thompson, and the second, George, lost a leg in the Civil War and represented Southwark in the Rump. The whole family was strongly parliamentarian, and Thompson himself was second-in-command of the regiment that sustained the severest casualties at the first battle of Newbury. They were also prominent in the East India company ..."
• George Thomson (MP for Southwark) "He was the son of Robert Thomson of Watton, Hertfordshire, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Harsflet or Halfehead of the same place;[2] Maurice Thomson the Virginia settler was an older brother, and Thomson was there as a significant figure from 1623, before returning to London as a merchant trading with Virginia and the Caribbean. The youngest brother Robert Thomson, also a merchant, was in New England for a period. ...."
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=adgedge&i...
• "Thomson - Tower Ward" in The Visitation of London: Anno Domini 1633, 1634, and 1635. Made ..., Volume 17. By Sir Henry St. George, Sir Henry Saint-George, Sir Richard Saint-George.  Page 282. [visitation signed by George Thomson, 1633]