OBITUARY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 February 1943, Page 3

OBITUARY

MR THOS. HENRY THOMPSON. The recent death at Miramar, Wellington, at the age of 71 years, of Mr Thomas Henry Thompson, a former popular resident of Masterton, severs another link in township history as far as its early hostelries are concerned. Deceased’s grandfather, the late Mr Wm. (“Darkie”) Thompson, . was an early proprietor of the original Prince of Wales Hotel; whilst his father, the late Mr Thomas Thompson, was for some years proprietor of the original Empire Hotel. The late Mr T. H. Thompson, who learnt the saddlery trade with Messrs Watson and Townsend, married a Masterton girl, Miss Hilda Lillian Russell, whose aunt (Mrs Wm. Hicks Corbett) was proprietress of the old Empire Hotel for a time after her husband's somewhat early demise after being one of the township’s original town-planning surveyors. . . • It might also be incidentally mentioned that the oldest member of the Thompson family, “Darkie” Thompson, as he was popularly called, was be-, lieved to have been the first pioneer settler of the township to have driven a horse and cart over the Rimutaka Range from Wellington after the earthquake in 1855. As a noted player in the old Red Star Football Club, of which his brother Bob was an outstanding member when the late Archie D’Arcy and he were the fastest sprinters Wairarapq Rugby has ever seen, the late Mr.T. H. Thompson made many lasting friends. He was one of the original players when the Red Star Club was formed in 1885. The well-known racehorse Little Scrub, domiciled in the stables at the rear of the old Empire Hotel, was not only a matter of pride to the Thompson boys and their uncle.. “Jack Thompson, the boxer, but to all members of Thos. Pearson’s Private Band who, to reach their practice room in the stables, had to ascend a ladder, giving a sidelong glance and an occasional pat on the iron grey glossy coat of their equine friend. The beat of the drum and cymbils, etc., often lulled the horse to sleep.