Stephen John Tompson (1855 - 1928)

Born 1855 in New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Biography

Stephen, child of Edwin Harvey Tompson & Ann Jane Tompson, was born in 1855 in New South Wales.^[1]

OLD-TIME CRICKETER DEATH OF 'TIM' TOMPSON MEMBER OF WAGGA PIONEER FAMILY There is no better known family in the history of Wagga than the Tompsons and the death which occurred at the Wagga District Hospital yesterday removes the last remaining link. Mr. Stephen John Tompson, better known to his associates as 'Tim,' was a native of Wagga, being a son of Mr Edwin Tompson, the first Clerk of Petty Sessions at Wagga. The family home was 'Mill house', Tarcutta street, which was recently demolished. It was there that Stephen John Tompson was born 73 years ago, but it was in the grounds of 'Waterview, ' fronting Little Gurwood-street, the home of his uncle, Mr. F. A. Tompson, who was the first Town Clerk of Wagga, that he and his brothers first took strike on a cricket pitch. In the game of cricket the Tompson brothers afterwards excelled. The large gardens and the one time cricket pitch have long since disappeared, the erosion caused by the Murrumbidgee River having worked deeply into the 'Waterview' grounds. In his early, school days 'Tim Tompson became a terror to other school teams and while still a junior, he took a place in senior cricket, and for many years was the best bowler in the Wagga district. He bowled left hand, at terrific pace, and could get a considerable amount of work with the ball off the pitch. S. J. Tompson and his brother, Alby Tompson, when at the top of their form, practised almost daily with the ball. It was their custom to put up a single stump and, with the pitch marked on each side, the two brothers would bowl from each end for an hour. This practice pitch was in a paddock where the gasworks now stands. Besides being acknowledged as the best bowler in country cricket, 'Tim' Tompson was remarkably skilful at throwing the ball. He not only threw with deadly accuracy, but he sent the ball phenominal distances. It is on record that a match at one time was contemplated between Tompson and the great Bonnor. It was proposed that the match should take place on the Sydney Cricket Ground. In a trial throw for this match Tompson threw a stone from the footpath on the western side of Tarcutta-street, near its intersection with Cross-street, and the stone landed in the river a distance of approximately 208 yards. In thosedays throwing the cricket ball or a stone was a regular pastime, and it was quite a common practice for 30 or 40 young men to gather for a match at long distance throwing. There are many still resident in Wagga who were contemporaries of Mr. S. J. Tompson in the days of the old Mechanics and Wagga clubs. Messrs. Wal Higgins senr., Charles Hardy, Harry Hardy, W. J . Monks, W. M. J. Walsh, George Broadfoot, E. H. Hedditch, B. Battersby, H. E. Mitchelmore, A. E. Perriman, and James Mumford are a few who will be able to recall some great cricket matches in which thebowling of ' ' Tim ' ' Tompson demoralised the opposing teams. GREAT MATCH RECALLED The world famed 'batsman', Murdoch, resided at Cootamundra for some time and, while there, he trained a number of cricketers, who reached a high state of proficiency under his tutelage. Murdock went to England with an Australian team and the following cricket season his Cootamundra team played Wagga on the concrete wicket at Wagga. 'Tim' Tompson opened the bowling for Wagga and completely demoralised the batsmen, 9 wickets falling to him in the first innings for 17 runs, while in the second innings he took 8 wickets for 12 runs. Mr. Tompson also took his stand for Wagga against visiting English teams and scored some notable successes with the ball. He was a brother of Messis. E. B. Tompson, of Wagga, Alby Tompson, accountant of the New South Wales Bank, and William Tompson all now dead. Mr. F. H. Tompson who for years was an accountant of the Union Bank, Wagga, and is now at the head office, is a cousin, and Mrs. Minnett, of Mosman, is a sister. The late Mr. Tompson had for about 25 years been bookkeeper on Deepwater Station, near Wagga. On Thursday he became suddenly ill and was brought (by the Wagga Ambulance) to the Wagga District Hospital. The funeral will leave Mr. J. C. M'Donald's premises at 2.30 o'clock to-day for the Church of England portion of the Wagga cemetery, where the burial will take place alongside the graves of other members of the family.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: "Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922"
   The New South Wales Pioneers Index: Pioneers Series 1788-1888; Volume Number: V185562 159
   Ancestry Record 1778 #4509814 (accessed 4 October 2022)
   Stephen John Tompson born in 1855, child of Edwin Harvey Tompson & Ann Jane Tompson, in New South Wales.
2. ↑ OLD-TIME CRICKETER (1928, May 7). Daily Advertiser (Wagga Wagga, NSW : 1911 - 1954), p. 3. Retrieved October 4, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article145173655