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J.J. Thompson - donor of telegraph objects to the Museum
In 1915, the Science Museum of Victoria was seeking help in describing some exhibits connected with the chemical industry. They approached Percival Faraday Thompson, who at that time, was on the staff of the Chemistry Department of the Melbourne Working Men's College. Percival was one of the sons of J. J. Thompson, a collector of scientific items.
The Museum was also seeking to acquire additional telegraph and telephone objects. It seems quite probable that Percival mentioned his father's collection of such objects, with the result that 23 items from this collection were donated to the Museum by the estate of J. J. Thompson.
John Joseph Thompson was born in 1839 in South Shields, Co Durham, England. His parents were John James Thompson and Margaret Thompson (nee Strong). The family came to Australia in 1850.
In 1874 Thompson married Elizabeth Fazakerly Parry. His occupation in the registration of marriage is listed as stone mason.
Thompson lived in Carlton. At some stage he appears to have become a pawnbroker (possibly taking over the business of a relative) in Queensberry Street, as this is his occupation as listed on the 1884 birth registration of one of his children.
The Thompson had eight children, four of whom survived childhood. One child, born in 1884, was christened Percival Faraday, indicating that Thompson may have had some interest in science. He was a member of the Microscopical Society of Victoria and in 1878 he delivered a paper on the spectroscope to the Society.
The Thompsons moved to Rose Street in Armadale in 1891. John Joseph's occupation was now listed in Sands and McDougall directories as 'gentleman'. While at Rose Street he pursued an interest in astronomy and owned at least two telescopes. He also collected scientific instruments, including electrical equipment and telegraph instruments.
John Joseph died on
Items per page: 10 50 (showing 1 - 10) 21 items
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Telegraph Set - Chester, USA, post 1860
Telegraph set comprising a telegraph key, a relay and a register. The key was used for the transmission of signals in the Morse electric telegraph system. To transmit signals the opera ...
From: New York, United States Images: 1 -
Telegraph Register - Wasserlein, Inking, late 19th Century
Telegraph inking register for receiving and recording telegraph signals. In operation, the intermittent current generated by the received signals causes a small rotating wheel to be in ...
From: Berlin, Germany Images: 1 -
Telegraph Register - Embossing, late 19th Century
Telegraph embossing register for receiving and recording telegraph signals.. In operation, the intermittent current generated by the received signals causes the embossing stylus to be ...
From: Armadale, Australia Images: 1 -
No Image Available
Telegraph Set - 1857
Telegraph set comprising a telegraph key, a relay and a register. The key was used for the transmission of signals in the Morse electric telegraph system. To transmit signals the opera ...
From: Armadale, Australia Images: 0 -
No Image Available
Telegraph Receiver - Breguet Alphabetical Type, circa 1870
Receiver of an alphabetical telegraph system of the Breguet alphabetical type. The other component of the system is the communicator. This receiver is a component of one of the first e ...
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 0 -
No Image Available
Telegraph Communicator - Breguet Alphabetical Type, circa 1870
Communicator of an alphabetical telegraph system of the Breguet alphabetical type. The other component of the system is the receiver. This communicator is a component of one of the fir ...
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 0 -
Telegraph Lightning Arrester - late 19th Century
Telegraph lightning arrester, used to protect telegraph equipment from damage due to lightning strikes on the telegraph line. At a telegraph station, the lightning arrester is position ...
From: Armadale, Australia Images: 2 -
Telegraph Sounder - Wasserlein, late 19th Century
Telegraph sounder used for the reception of telegraph messages transmitted by Morse code. Telegraph signals were transmitted by an operator who depressd a key to complete an electric c ...
From: Berlin, Germany Images: 1 -
Telegraph Register - Embossing, late 19th Century
Telegraph embossing register for receiving and recording telegraph signals. In operation, the intermittent current generated by the received signals causes the embossing stylus to be ...
From: Armadale, Australia Images: 1 -
Telegraph Register - Embossing, 19th Century
Morse embossing register for receiving and recording telegraph signals. In operation, the intermittent current generated by the received signals causes the embossing stylus to be inte ...
From: Armadale, Australia Images: 1
