Captain George Thomson, (2/12/1853-19/12/1928). "some strange people in the world"

CAPTAIN GEORGE THOMPSON. 

Captain George Thomson, whose death took place early on Wednesday morning at Port Chalmers, was highly esteemed by shipmasters visiting Otago harbour. Sir years ago he retired from, the position of harbour master and has since resided at Port Chalmers. On the second of this month he celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday. Captain Thomson was born in Edinburgh and commenced his sea-faring at the age of 14 years, shipping from Leith, which is the seaport of Scotland’s capital city. lit the big sailing ships trading between London and Australia he qualified as an officer and was second mate when be met relatives in Melbourne and decided to stay in the colonies. Joining the early intercolonial steamers he passed into the service of the Union Steam Ship Company and was chief officer of thy Wakatipu when he was married to Miss E. J. Watson, daughter of the late Captain John Watson, of Port Chalmers. Thirty-six years ago Captain Thomson entered the service of the Otago Harbour Board as tug master and rose to the chief pilot under the late Captain McCallum, who was then harbour master. When Captain McCallum retired Captain Thomson was promoted to the higher position. With Captain McDougall (now harbour master at Timaru) as chief pilot Captain Thomson won the prestige for Otago Harbour in shipping circles overseas. On retiring six years ago Captain Thomson visited the Old Country and the scenes of his boyhood. The deceased was not only expert in seamanship, but was also a man of keen and accurate observation in other directions. His knowledge of Otago harbour extended far beyond the problem of actually piloting vessels in circumscribed waters. From observation and the study of engineering treatises he acquired an intimate knowledge of the factors of scouring tides and shifting sands. The Victoria Channel, he considered, would be better if there were no tidal action in it. Technical data showed that the tide deposited more material in the channel than it removed. Apart from his professional ability Captain Thomson was also highly esteemed. He approved freely and condemned gently. “The worst I ever heard him say of any man,” a responsible harbour board officer told a Daily Times reporter yesterday, “was to remark in regard to a real hard case — ‘Well, now, there are some strange people in the world.’” Captain Thomson’s youngest brother is in business in Dunedin, where his elder brother, who died last year, was city engineer and architect. Captain Thomson suffered from heart and chest trouble through the past year. He is survived by Mrs Thomson, three sons and two daughters and 12 grandchildren. His sons are Mr John Thomson, marine, architect, Wellington; Mr William Thomson, engineer dredge 222; and Mr James Thomson, electrical engineer, Port Chalmers. The daughters are Mrs N. M. Clark and Mrs C. E. Goodyear (widow of Captain Goodyear).  -Otago Witness, 24/12/1928.

Port Chalmers Cemetery.