William Thomson M.A., B.Sc., F.R.S.E. was listed at No. 4 in 1883-84.[1] He was an Assistant in Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh. He was born on 31 December 1856 at Kirkton of Mailer, Perthshire, son of Robert Thomson and Eliza Ronaldson.[2] He graduated M.A., B.Sc. in mathematics and natural philosophy in 1878 and took a position in the university’s Department of Mathematics. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh on 06 March 1882.
In 1883, William Thomson was appointed Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Stellenbosch College, South Africa. Between 1892 and 1895 he was Professor of Mathematics only. In June 1895 he was appointed Registrar of the University of the Cape of Good Hope, which became the University of South Africa in 1918. He was Registrar of the University of South Africa between 1918 and 1922, when he retired. He was knighted in 1922 for his contribution to tertiary education in South Africa. From 1924 to 1928 he was Principal of the University of the Witwatersrand.[3] He died in Simonstown, Cape Province on 06 August 1947.[4]
On 11 July 1884, at Simonstown, Cape Colony, William Thomson married Annie Catherine van der Riet, daughter of F. J. van der Riet, Civil Commissioner and Resident Magistrate.[5]
The Mrs Thomson listed at No. 4 from 1884 to 1886 would have been William Thomson’s mother.[6] Eliza Ronaldson married Robert Thomson at Haddington on 15 January 1856.[7] She was born 26 July 1833 at Portmoak, Kinross, the daughter of William Ronaldson, a farmer, and Margaret Stobie.[8] She and her husband were recorded in the 1891 census at 18 Napier Road, Edinburgh,[9] where she died on 23 November 1891.[10] Robert Thomson died on 06 December 1901.[11]
[1] PO Directory 1883-84.
[2] Births (SR) Scotland. Forteviot, Perthshire. 19 January 1857. THOMSON, William. 354/ 16. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 13 August 2021.
[3] S2A3 Biographical Database of Southern African Science. Thomson, Prof Sir William. http://www.s2a3.org.za/bio/Biograph_final.php?serial=2835: accessed 13 August 2021.
[4] Monumental inscriptions. South Africa. Cape Town. 06 August 1947. THOMSON, Sir William. https://findagrave.com: accessed 16 August 2021.
[5] Marriage announcements. Scotland. Dundee Evening Telegraph. 16 July 1884. THOMSON, William and van der RIET, Annie Catherine. p. 02, col. 02. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 13 August 2021.
[6] PO Directories 1884-85 and 1885-86.
[7] Marriages (SR) Scotland. Haddington, East Lothian. 15 January 1856. THOMSON, Robert and RONALDSON, Eliza. 709/2 1. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 13 August 2021.
[8] Baptisms (OPR) Scotland. Portmoak, Kinross. 24 August 1833. RONALDSON, Elizabeth. 464/ 20 25. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 13 August 2021.
[9] Census records. Scotland. St Cuthbert’s, Edinburgh. 05 April 1891. THOMSON, Robert (Head). 685/5 130/ 23. https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 13 August 2021.
[10] Testamentary records. Scotland. 31 March 1892. THOMSON, Eliza Ronaldson or. Confirmation. National Probate Index. https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 13 August 2021.
[11] Testamentary records. Scotland. 15 January 1902. THOMSON, Robert. Confirmation. National Probate Index. https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 13 August 2021.