Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 56.djvu/263

 # 'Vane's Story, Weddah and Om-el-Bonain, and other Poems,' 1881. Collective editions: 'Poetical Works,' 2 vols. 1895; 'Biographical and Critical Studies,' 1st vol. of 'Prose Works,' 1896.
 * 1) 'Essays and Phantasies,' 1881.
 * 2) 'A Voice from the Nile, and other Poems,' 1884.
 * 3) 'Satires and Profanities,' 1884.
 * 4) 'Poems, Essays, and Fragments,' 1892.

Portraits of Thomson appear in 'A Voice from the Nile,' 1884, in the 'Life' of Thomson by the present writer, 1889, and in the 'Poetical Works,' 1895.



THOMSON, JAMES (1800–1883), architect, son of D. Thomson of Melrose, was born on 22 April 1800. From 1814 to 1821 he was a pupil of [q. v.]; between 1827 and 1854 he designed Cumberland Terrace and Cumberland Place, Regent's Park; in 1838 the Royal Polytechnic Institute, Regent Street, and in 1848 the theatre adjoining it. He also designed the new buildings at Clement's Inn, and the Polygraphic Hall, King William Street, Strand. In 1845 he restored Alderton church, and in 1848 Leigh Delamere church, both in Wiltshire, and built the public hall and market-place at Chippenham. He made alterations in the Derbyshire bank, Derby, in 1850; planned the laying out of Mr. Roy's estate at Notting Hill; built (1851–4) Grittleton House, Wiltshire, the residence of Joseph Neeld; and in 1863 designed the Russian chapel, Welbeck Street, for the Russian embassy. In 1870 he designed the grand staircase and other additions to Charing Cross Hospital. He died on 16 May 1883, and was buried at Finchley.

Thomson read the following papers before the Royal Institute of British Architects, of which he was a fellow: He published ‘Retreats: Designs for Cottages, Villas, &c,’ 1827, 1833, 1840, and ‘School Houses,’ 1842.
 * 1) ‘Composition in Architecture, Sir J. Vanbrugh,’ 15 June 1840.
 * 2) ‘National Advantages of Fresco Painting,’ 6 March 1843.
 * 3) ‘Hagioscope at Alderton Church,’ 28 April 1845.
 * 4) ‘Leigh Delamere Church,’ 15 May 1848.



THOMSON, JAMES (1822–1892), professor of engineering, eldest son of (1786–1849) [q. v.], was born in Belfast, where his father was then a professor, on 16 Feb. 1822. His father superintended his early education and that of his brother William (now Lord Kelvin), and he was never at school, save for a short time at the writing-school of the Belfast Academical Institution. In 1832, when only ten years of age, he commenced attending the university of Glasgow, and in 1834 matriculated and gained a class prize. In 1839 he graduated M.A., with honours in mathematics and natural philosophy. In 1840 he entered the office of [q. v.] in Dublin, but, his health giving way, he was obliged in a short time to return to Glasgow. Recovering, he next year spent six months in the engineering department of the Lancefield Spinning Mill, Glasgow, and afterwards became a pupil successively in the Horsley Ironworks at Tipton, Staffordshire, and in Messrs Fairbairn & Co.'s works. But ill-health again drove him home. In 1851 he settled as a civil engineer in Belfast, where in November 1853 he became resident engineer to the water commissioners, and in 1857 he was appointed by the crown professor of civil engineering in Queen's College. He held that post till 1873, when he was elected successor to [q. v.] in the similar chair in Glasgow University.

Thomson's inventive genius showed itself early. When only sixteen or seventeen he constructed a clever mechanism for feathering the floats of the paddles of steamers. A little later he devised a curious river-boat, which by means not only of paddles, but of legs reaching to the bottom, could propel itself against a current. In the winter of 1842–3 he gained the Glasgow University silver medal for an essay on ‘The comparative Advantages of the Methods employed to heat Dwelling-houses and Public Buildings.’ About this time he began devising improvements in water-wheels. He constructed a horizontal wheel which he named a ‘Danaide,’ and somewhat later another which he patented on 3 July 1850 (No. 13156) and named the ‘Vortex Water-wheel.’ This came into extensive use. At Belfast he occupied himself for several years with investigations as to the properties of whirling fluids, which led to his devising valuable improvements in the action of blowing fans, to the invention of a centrifugal pump, and to important improvements in turbines. A jet-pump which he designed has done important work in draining low-lying lands.

In 1848 he began his many contributions to the scientific journals. In a remarkable