Thomas Perronet Thompson (1783–1869) was a British Parliamentarian, a governor of Sierra Leone and a radical reformer. He became prominent in 1830s and 1840s as a leading activist in the Anti-Corn Law League. He specialized in the grass-roots mobilisation of opinion through pamphlets, newspaper articles, correspondence, speeches, and endless local planning meetings.[1]
Thompson was born in Kingston upon Hull in 1783. He was son of Thomas Thompson, a banker of Hull and his wife, Philothea Perronet Briggs. The name Perronet was from his mother's grandfather, Vincent Perronet, vicar of Shoreham and a friend of John Wesley and his brother Charles Wesley. He was educated at Hull Grammar School. He graduated from Queens' College, Cambridge in 1802[2] with the rank of seventh Wrangler.[3] From 1803, Thompson served as a midshipman in the Royal Navy, switching to the British Army (as a lieutenant) in 1806. Thompson became Governor of Sierra Leone between August 1808 and June 1810, due in part to his acquaintance with William Wilberforce. He was recalled from the job after complaining about the system by which "freed" slaves were compulsorily "apprenticed" for fourteen years. He wrote that Wilberforce and the Sierra Leone Company had "by means of their agents become slave traders themselves". He threatened to expose this situation, so he was sacked, with Wilberforce himself agreeing to the dismissal.[4]
In 1812, Thompson returned to his military duties, and, after serving in the south of France, was in 1815 attached as Arabic interpreter to an expedition against the Wahabees of the Persian Gulf, with whom he negotiated a treaty (dated January 1820) in which the slave trade was for the first time declared piracy. Whilst in the Army, Thompson was promoted to Major in 1825, Lieutenant Colonel in 1829 and in later years was made a Major General.[5] While serving in the Army in India, his second son, Charles, was born at Bombay.
As a radical reformer, Thompson wrote the True Theory of Rent and A Catechism on the Corn Laws. He also joint-owned the Westminster Review for a time. He wrote several articles in the journal supporting universal suffrage, and his articles were republished in 1842 in six volumes.[6]
Monuments to his second son General Charles William Thompson, his youngest son Lieutenant Colonel John Wycliffe Thompson, who served in the Crimean War, and his youngest daughter Anne Elise are in the chancel of St Mary's Church, Cottingham, near Hull.
Personal life
As a radical reformer, Thompson wrote the True Theory of Rent and A Catechism on the Corn Laws. He also joint-owned the Westminster Review for a time. He wrote several articles in the journal supporting universal suffrage, and his articles were republished in 1842 in six volumes.[6]
Thompson was interested in music, writing books on harmony and just intonation e.g. for the guitar (Instructions to my daughter for playing on the enharmonic guitar).[7] His mathematical publications were somewhat eccentric. He published a Theory of Parallels in 1844, and was also the author of Geometry without Axioms, in which he endeavoured to "get rid of" axioms.[6]
^Instructions to my daughter for playing on the enharmonic guitar: an attempt to effect the execution of correct harmony, on principles analogous to those of the ancient enharmonic by Thomas Perronet Thompson (1783–1869) Review (The Harmonicon, 1830) Excerpt on temperament (The Harmonicon, 1830) Extended Review (The Westminster Review, Volume XVI, 1832) Postscript to the prev. Extended Review
^Gregory, James. (2002). "The Vegetarian Movement in Britain c. 1840-1901". eprints.soton.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
References
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Thompson, Thomas Peronnet". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 870–871.
General T. Perronet Thompson by Leonard George Johnson
"Raising up Dark Englishmen": Thomas Perronet Thompson, Colonies, Race, and the Indian Mutiny by Michael J. Turner (Journal of Colonialism and Colonial History - Volume 6, Number 1, Spring 2005)
Bisset, Andrew (1884). "Thomas Perronet Thompson" . Notes on the Anti-Corn Law Struggle. London: Williams and Norgate. pp. 36–85.
External links
Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Thomas Perronet Thompson
Information on Thomas Perronet Thompson, pub. 1840 (Saunders' portraits and memoirs of eminent living political reformers ...; by John Saunders; 1840)
thomas, perronet, thompson, 1783, 1869, british, parliamentarian, governor, sierra, leone, radical, reformer, became, prominent, 1830s, 1840s, leading, activist, anti, corn, league, specialized, grass, roots, mobilisation, opinion, through, pamphlets, newspape. Thomas Perronet Thompson 1783 1869 was a British Parliamentarian a governor of Sierra Leone and a radical reformer He became prominent in 1830s and 1840s as a leading activist in the Anti Corn Law League He specialized in the grass roots mobilisation of opinion through pamphlets newspaper articles correspondence speeches and endless local planning meetings 1 Thomas Perronet Thompson portrait by George Hayter Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal life 3 Notes 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksBiography EditThompson was born in Kingston upon Hull in 1783 He was son of Thomas Thompson a banker of Hull and his wife Philothea Perronet Briggs The name Perronet was from his mother s grandfather Vincent Perronet vicar of Shoreham and a friend of John Wesley and his brother Charles Wesley He was educated at Hull Grammar School He graduated from Queens College Cambridge in 1802 2 with the rank of seventh Wrangler 3 From 1803 Thompson served as a midshipman in the Royal Navy switching to the British Army as a lieutenant in 1806 Thompson became Governor of Sierra Leone between August 1808 and June 1810 due in part to his acquaintance with William Wilberforce He was recalled from the job after complaining about the system by which freed slaves were compulsorily apprenticed for fourteen years He wrote that Wilberforce and the Sierra Leone Company had by means of their agents become slave traders themselves He threatened to expose this situation so he was sacked with Wilberforce himself agreeing to the dismissal 4 In 1812 Thompson returned to his military duties and after serving in the south of France was in 1815 attached as Arabic interpreter to an expedition against the Wahabees of the Persian Gulf with whom he negotiated a treaty dated January 1820 in which the slave trade was for the first time declared piracy Whilst in the Army Thompson was promoted to Major in 1825 Lieutenant Colonel in 1829 and in later years was made a Major General 5 While serving in the Army in India his second son Charles was born at Bombay As a radical reformer Thompson wrote the True Theory of Rent and A Catechism on the Corn Laws He also joint owned the Westminster Review for a time He wrote several articles in the journal supporting universal suffrage and his articles were republished in 1842 in six volumes 6 Thompson represented Kingston upon Hull in the House of Commons from 1835 to 1837 and was elected to represent Bradford between 1847 and 1852 and again from 1857 to 1859 6 Monuments to his second son General Charles William Thompson his youngest son Lieutenant Colonel John Wycliffe Thompson who served in the Crimean War and his youngest daughter Anne Elise are in the chancel of St Mary s Church Cottingham near Hull Personal life EditAs a radical reformer Thompson wrote the True Theory of Rent and A Catechism on the Corn Laws He also joint owned the Westminster Review for a time He wrote several articles in the journal supporting universal suffrage and his articles were republished in 1842 in six volumes 6 Thompson was interested in music writing books on harmony and just intonation e g for the guitar Instructions to my daughter for playing on the enharmonic guitar 7 His mathematical publications were somewhat eccentric He published a Theory of Parallels in 1844 and was also the author of Geometry without Axioms in which he endeavoured to get rid of axioms 6 Thompson was teetotal and a vegetarian 8 Notes Edit Michael J Turner The Bonaparte of free trade and the Anti Corn Law League Historical Journal 41 4 1998 1011 1034 Thompson Thomas Perronet THM798TP A Cambridge Alumni Database University of Cambridge Saunders John 1840 Saunders Portraits and Memoirs of Eminent Living Political Reformers London J Dowding p 72 William Wilberforce condoned slavery Colonial Office papers reveal Caroline Davies guardian co uk Monday 2 August 2010 18 49 BST Retrieved 3 August 2010 Chisholm 1911 pp 870 871 a b c d Chisholm 1911 p 871 Instructions to my daughter for playing on the enharmonic guitar an attempt to effect the execution of correct harmony on principles analogous to those of the ancient enharmonic by Thomas Perronet Thompson 1783 1869 Review The Harmonicon 1830 Excerpt on temperament The Harmonicon 1830 Extended Review The Westminster Review Volume XVI 1832 Postscript to the prev Extended Review Gregory James 2002 The Vegetarian Movement in Britain c 1840 1901 eprints soton ac uk Retrieved 1 October 2022 References Edit This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Thompson Thomas Peronnet Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 26 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 870 871 Robinson Henry James 1898 Thompson Thomas Perronet In Lee Sidney ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 56 London Smith Elder amp Co Further reading EditGeneral T Perronet Thompson by Leonard George Johnson Raising up Dark Englishmen Thomas Perronet Thompson Colonies Race and the Indian Mutiny by Michael J Turner Journal of Colonialism and Colonial History Volume 6 Number 1 Spring 2005 Bisset Andrew 1884 Thomas Perronet Thompson Notes on the Anti Corn Law Struggle London Williams and Norgate pp 36 85 External links EditHansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Thomas Perronet Thompson Information on Thomas Perronet Thompson pub 1840 Saunders portraits and memoirs of eminent living political reformers by John Saunders 1840 Information permanent dead link Hull City Council Thomas Perronet Thompson Thomas Perronet Thompson letters John Rylands Library University of Manchester ImagesImage from a painting by B E Duppa Image of Thomas Perronet Thompson Royal Academy of Music WritingsGoogle books Archive org Papers of Thomas Perronet Thompson 1783 1869 1 Hull University Archives Correspondence and family papers of Thomas Perronet Thompson University of Leeds Papers of Thomas Perronet Thompson relating to Sierra Leone British Online Archives Preceded byThomas Ludlam Governor of Sierra Leone21 July 1808 12 February 1810 Succeeded byEdward H ColumbineParliament of the United KingdomPreceded byDavid Carruthers and William Hutt Member of Parliament for Kingston upon Hull1835 1837 With William Hutt Succeeded bySir Walter Charles James and William WilberforcePreceded byJohn Hardy and William Busfield Member of Parliament for Bradford1846 1852 With William Busfield to 1851Robert Milligan from 1851 Succeeded byHenry Wickham Wickham and Robert Milligan Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Perronet Thompson amp oldid 1116300558, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
