The Tompson Family, bridge builders in the Hunter Valley c.1900

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Clem Tompson supplied these wonderful photographs and information about his ancestors. He maintains a website with more Tompson information.

Photo of my ancestors working on a bridge at Dunbible creek in 1893 (Northern NSW)

My Great Grandfather Thomas Edward Tompson is on the right he was a bridge inspector for the Government, he came to Australia as a convict, however he passed away before they moved to the Paterson River Area.
The man second from the right is my Grandfather who worked on the Bridges in the Hunter from 1908-1910.
1st Child on the right is the eldest son of my Grandfather the man second from the right. He is A.C. Tompson (Uncle Charlie) who became a multi millionaire business tycoon he is the young man on the right in the photo of the sunken boat the Anna Marie in the Paterson River.
For some reason unknown to me uncle Charlie who was living in Manly (Sydney) in one of the many properties

that he owned in that area was cremated and buried at Berisifield crematorium near Newcastle.
Girl standing is Adeline (Nellie) my Grandfather's eldest child.
Lady sitting is my Grandmother who is pregnant with my father, who was born at Dunbible shortly after this photo, was taken. My father was later to become one of our Anzac's; he was in the second Light Horse 1st WW.
The little boy on the left is Wally Tompson son of the man second from the left, he went to England during the 1st WW as an engineer with the Vickers Machine Gun Company.

I presume they all lived in the hut in the background.

July 28 1908

1909 & 1910

Started work for Parson Carey & Simpson first section Maitland to Dungog Railway

Above is an entry taken from my grandfather's diary that we have recently found in the possession of a cousin of mine with many pictures. My great grandfather Thomas Edward Tompson was a bridge inspector for the Government and my Grandfather Thomas Edward Tompson was a bridge contractor and carpenter on many bridges that were being built at this time in NSW. It appears that he worked in Dungog and Paterson river area from July 1908 until 1910.

The bridge over the Paterson River that my Grandfather was working on in 1909.

Wreck of the Anna Maria, Paterson River 1909

Above is a photo of a wreck called the 'Anna Maria', which must have sunk, in the Paterson River in June 1909. The man standing on part of the wreck on the left in this photo is my Grandfather Thomas Edward Tompson and his son my uncle Charlie (A.C. Tompson) on the right.

Left - The Tompson Camp near the Paterson River Bridge 10th January 1909
Right - My grandfather Thomas Edward Tompson in his tent when he was working in the Paterson River area.

A bridge over the Hunter River my Grandfather was working on in 1908-1909
Notation on photograph 'Hunter River Oakhampton 1908-1909

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