Septimus Thompson Query
Septimus Thompson was my great-grandfather on my father’s side. It’s been very difficult to find out anything about him, and my family has not left any information about him at all (I suspect he was an embarrassing chapter in the family history). This is what I know of him (sorry it’s long, but I like to give as much information as possible because someone might see what I haven’t seen).
Father: William Thomas Thompson (Farmer) (4 Jan 1807 at South Shields, Durham - 6 February 1871 at 12 Pier Terrace, Westoe, Durham aged 64 years).
Mother: Margaret Hewison Lister (1816/7 at Kibblesworth, Durham - 1884 at South Shields, Durham).
Children: William (1843 - ).
Robert (1845 - ).
Margaret Ann (1846 - ).
Jane (1847/8 - ).
Foster Hewison (1850 - 1937).
Edward (1852 - ).
Matthew (1856/7 - 1903).
Septimus (25 September 1859 – 21 June 1897).
Septimus:
Birth: Twenty Fifth September 1859 Westoe, South Shields.
Baptism: 23 October 1859 St Hilda's Church South Shields.
Married: 16 January 1889 at Church of England, Moor Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, to Rosa Maria Grimsley (1864 at Warracknabeal, Victoria – 31 October 1953 at 73 Ballantyne Street, Thornbury).
Marriage certificate records Septimus as working as a butcher in South Melbourne.
Death: 21 June 1897 in Melbourne, Australia.
Children: Hilda Margaret (9 September 1889 – 28 September 1951).
Hilda married John Mitchell (1885 – 1949) in Melbourne.
After Septimus died, Rosa married William Henry Wraith in 1902 and had two more
children.
Additional information about his movements.:
1881 Census records Septimus aged 21 years living at 149 Dale Street, South Shields.
1883 South Shields commercial list records him working as a butcher at 40 Dale Street, South Shields.
Copy of advertisement supports the possibility that he had opened the business himself.
1889 (16 January) married in South Melbourne.
1897 Died in Melbourne. His death certificate records him as single with no issue, but there is no
record of a divorce.
There is no definitive record of when he arrived in Melbourne. It’s possible that he first went to another state or to New Zealand first, but I can’t find the records despite numerous searches. The best I can find is four S. Thompsons who arrived separately between 1883 and 1888.
Questions:
I’d like to find more records of his butcher’s shop in South Shields as this might help me to work our when he emigrated. Basically, what happened and where was he during that six-year period (1883 -1889)?
I’m also wondering whether or not Septimus had any criminal convictions. There was a Septimus Thompson who lived in New South Wales who had convictions for theft in 1895, 1896 and 1898, but he was born in Seymour (Victoria) and one of the convictions was after “my” Septimus had died. I’d also like to find out if “my” Septimus had any convictions in Durham.
If there’s anyone out there who can steer me in the right direction I’d be very grateful.
Thanks!
Peter
