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John Blair Thompson                           1833-1918
John was born on 18 May 1833, the son of James Thompson and Isabella Taylor, at Monkwearmouth, County Durham. Immediately after his marriage, John and Ann sailed to New Zealand on 2 August 1858. His cousin, Ann Marsh, was also on the ship.
Ann Morrison Pace                               1832-1864                     (1st Wife)
Ann was born on 14 August 1832, the daughter of Robert Pace and Eleanor Spraggon, at Monkwearmouth, County Durham.
I have identified the following children.
Eleanor Pace Born 10 Jan 1860   Lyttelton, New Zealand Married Lewis Marsh
James Pace Born 6 Aug 1861   Kaiapoi, Canterbury, New Zealand Married Emma Jane Baker
Isabella Born 23 Jan 1863   New Zealand Killed 9 Jan 1875, Age 11

Birth of Parents
John Blair Thompson b: 18 May 1833  c: 16 Jun 1833       Monkwearmouth, County Durham
son of James Thompson, Joiner,and Isabella Taylor

Ann Morrison Pace b: 14 Aug 1832  c: 26 Aug 1832             Monkwearmouth, County Durham
daughter of Robert Pace, Shipwright, and Eleanor Lydia Spraggon, Southwick


Marriage
17 Jul 1858
John Thompson (25)
Ann Morrison Pace (24) 		Register Office                                 1858 3Q Sunderland 10a 496
Bachelor, Shipwright, 11 Waterloo St, Father: James Thompson, Joiner (Deceased)
Spinster, Near Millum Terrace, Father: Robert Pace, Shipwright
Wit: Robert Pace, Ann Marsh

From the Passenger List of the Indiana
From Gravesend, England on 2 Aug 1858,
to Lyttelton, New Zealand, arriving on 28 Nov 1858.
Name Age Occupation City
John Thompson
Ann M. (Wife)
Ann Marsh [Cousin] 		25
25
24 		Sawyer & Shipwright

Domestic Servant 		Sunderland

Sunderland

Children
Eleanor Pace Thompson b: 10 Jan 1860               Lyttelton, New Zealand             1860/2865
daughter of John Blair Thompson and Ann Morrison Pace
James Pace Thompson b: 6 Aug 1861               Kaiapoi, Canterbury, New Zealand              1861/279
son of John Blair Thompson and Ann Morrison Pace
Isabella Thompson b: 23 Jan 1863                       New Zealand             1863/4906
daughter of John Blair Thompson and Ann Morrison Pace

Death
Ann Morrison (Pace) Thompson Died abt 1864             1864/2628
Burial: Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, New Zealand


Ann Watson                                          1847-1927           (2nd Wife)
Ann was born on 3 June 1847, the daughter of William Reed Watson, Tailor, and Jane Wandless, at Southwick, County Durham.
I have identified the following children.
  Herbert No Date   New Zealand  
Annie Born abt 1869   New Zealand Married John Thomas Whitford (1889/502)
Walter Douglas Born abt 1870   New Zealand Married Sarah Eliza Foster
Leila Born abt 1871   New Zealand  
Emily Born abt 1876   New Zealand Married Ernest Hight (1909/3934)
Mabel Born abt 1878   New Zealand Married Walter Clark (1899/4085)
John Marsh Born abt 1880   New Zealand  
Ethel Margaret Born 19 Aug 1881   New Zealand  
Frederick Arthur Born 29 Nov 1883   New Zealand  
Albert Marsh Born 19 Apr 1885   New Zealand Died 16 Jun 1902
John Blair Born abt 1892   New Zealand K.I.A. Gallipoli, Turkey, 7 Aug 1915

Birth of New Wife
Ann Watson b: 3 Jun 1847  c: 24 Jun 1847             Monkwearmouth       1847 2Q Sunderland 24 319
daughter of William Reed Watson and Jane Wandless

Marriage
23 Jan 1866
John Blair Thompson (32)
Ann Watson (18) 		Registrar's Office, Rangiora, New Zealand        1866/4006
Widow, Sawyer,
Spinster,

Children
Herbert Thompson No Date               New Zealand
son of John Blair Thompson and Ann Watson
Annie Thompson b: abt 1869               New Zealand
daughter of John Blair Thompson and Ann Watson   Died 2 Apr 1930
Walter Douglas Thompson b: abt 1870               New Zealand         1870/9396
son of John Blair Thompson and Ann Watson
Leila Thompson b: abt 1871               New Zealand         1871/10063
daughter of John Blair Thompson and Ann Watson

The Sunderland Times, 23 Apr 1875
THE MURDER OF A SUNDERLAND GIRL
IN NEW ZEALAND
 
  The inquest on the body of the girl Isabella Thompson, whose parents belonged Monkwearmouth, and who was murdered some time ago at Lyttelton (New Zealand) was resumed there on the 19th of January.   From a report of the proceedings, which appeared in the Lyttelton Times, it seems that a man named John Mercer was in custody, charged with committing the murder.   James Allan, mate of a schooner named the Canterbury, deposed to having seen the accused, John Mercer, in company with the deceased about 4 o'clock on January 9th (the day of the murder).   J. T. Rouse, a medical practitioner, said he had observed scratches on the prisoner's nose and hand.   The scratches were not made by any pointed instrument, but were such as could be made by a person's nails.   On January 11th he extracted a number of gorse prickles from the neck and the right arm of the deceased.   There were a great number on on the other arm.   He had received a package, said to be taken from the clothes of the accused, and these were gorse prickles   He also examined a quantity of the gorse taken from the spot where the girl was found, and they were exactly alike.   John Sheet, a seaman, said, on Sunday, 9th January,
he was in the afternoon. leaning on the railings, and looking up towards the parsonage of the Rev. Mr. Pember.   While looking up towards the parsonage, he saw a man coming away from that direction.   He was shaking his coat.   At that time he was 4ft. or 5ft. from the parsonage garden, a few feet from where the body was found.   He came down the cutting and past witness.   He went on to Mr. Kelly's corner, and continued his way towards the station.   The accused was the man.   He took very particular notice of him from the time he saw him come from the parsonage to when he passed him.   Prisoner had blood on his right cheek.   He appeared to be in a tremor.   Another witness named Russell, remembered accused coming into the same railway carriage as witness on the afternoon of the murder.   He had marks of blood on his face, evidently caused by scratches, and his hands were covered with blood, apparently fresh.   Prisoner remarked to witness that he had been killing a sheep.   Sergeant Major O'Grady produced the girl's clothing, and gave evidence as to the arrest of prisoner aboard the schooler Cleopatra, and the jury ultimately returned a verdict of "Willful murder" against the accused John Mercer.   A large crowd had assembled but there was no demonstration when the prisoner was removed to gaol.

      The Star, Christchurch, New Zealand
11 & 12 January 1875   Read abaout the crime
20 January 1875  Read about the Coroner's inquest
9 April 1875  Read about the Trial
10 April 1875  The Trial continues.
10 April 1875  After Sentence
7 May 1875  The Execution

Emily Thompson Born abt 1876               New Zealand         1876/10391
daughter of John Blair Thompson and Ann Watson
Mabel Thompson Born abt 1878               New Zealand         1878/557
daughter of John Blair Thompson and Ann Watson
John Marsh Thompson b: abt 1880               New Zealand         1880/17981
son of John Blair Thompson and Ann Watson       Died abt 1883
Ethel Margaret Thompson b: 19 Aug 1881               New Zealand         1881/8587
daughter of John Blair Thompson and Ann Watson
Frederick Arthur Thompson b: 29 Nov 1883               New Zealand         1883/18829
son of John Blair Thompson and Ann Watson
Albert Marsh Thompson b: 19 Apr 1885               New Zealand         1885/717
son of John Blair Thompson and Ann Watson
John Blair Thompson b: abt 1892                       New Zealand         1892/3897
son of John Blair Thompson and Ann Watson

Death
John Blair Thompson Died 1918     1918/25173



IN Memory of
Private JOHN BLAIR THOMPSON
8/299, Otago Regiment,
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Who Died Age 21
ON 7 August 1915

Son of Mrs. A. Thompson, of 499, St. Asaph St.,
Linwood. Christchurch
REMEMBERED WITH HONOUR
CHUNUK BAIR (NEW ZEALAND) MEMORIAL, Turkey

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION

Death
Ann (Watson) Thompson Died 15 Jun 1927, Age 80,   at 499 St Asaph Street, Linwood               1927/4671
Widow, 5 Surviving daughters, ages 60, 53, 50, 48, 45; 2 sons, ages 63, 43
Mother: Jane Watson, nee Wandless, Father: William Watson
Husband: John Blair Thompson

The Evening Post, Monday, 20 June 1927     (Wellington, New Zealand)
Women in Print
  Mrs. A. Thompson, of Linwood, Christchurch, a pioneer of sixty-eight years ago, died at her residence on Tuesday. She arrived in New Zealand by the ship Sunderland after a four months voyage, and spent the earlier years of her life in Christchurch, and on her marriage to the late Mr. J. B. Thompson removed to Rangiora. The members of her family, are Mesdames J.T. Whitford and W. Clark, of Linwood, Mrs. E. Hight, of Featherston, Misses L. and E. M. Thompson, of Linwood, Mr. W. D. Thompson, of The Glen, Nelson, and the Rev. F. A. Thompson, of Auckland.


IN LOVING MEMORY OF

ANN THOMPSON

DIED JUNE 15th 1927

AGED 80
Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, New Zealand
Photo by Naomi Rattanong

SPECIAL THANKS  to Annette Whitford, of Auckland, New Zealand, whose interest and dedication, inspired this long chain of family pages, connecting the Thompson family to New Zealand, and also to Naomi Rattanong, of Rangiora, New Zealand, a descendant of George Watson (1837-1903), and also Sandra Gargiulo, of New Zealand, a descendant of Walter Douglas Thompson (1870-1936).