James Turnbull Thomson

James Turnbull Thomson (1810 – c. 20 August 1876) was a publican and brewer, recognised as the founder of Balhannah, South Australia.

History

Thomson was a son of Rev. James Thomson, pastor of Steeple Church, Dundee,[1] and his wife Hannah Thomson, née Turnbull.

He emigrated to South Australia aboard Georgiana, arriving in Adelaide in August 1839. Before leaving Scotland he purchased Section 4208[2] in the Mount Barker region. Another reference has him purchasing the land from Hampden Dutton after arriving in the colony.[3]

In 1840 Thomson was involved with Robert Cock and J. L. Crabb in a venture to sell lots of land in Balhannah, which Thomson named for his mother (and also his sister) Hannah, the prefix Bal being a Gaelic word meaning "place" or "town", as in Balnagowan and Balmoral. He built the Balhannah Inn, which he let to one S. Bartlett[4] who left shortly after. A year later he reopened the Inn, with himself as publican,[5] followed by James Anderson. In 1855 Thomson's application for a licence was refused, while Edward Morris's application for the Golden Cross Hotel (now the Balhannah Hotel) was granted,[6] sparking a feud which culminated in Thomson's serving time in jail for slander.[3]

He brewed his first beer at Balhannah in August 1843 with the assistance of W. Milne and W. Johnston, one of the brothers who later founded the Oakbank Brewery. In June 1844 he was obliged to mortgage his property and in 1855 had a second attempt at beer brewing.[7]

He was several times in financial difficulties, on one occasion helped out by his father, who purchased his property, then mortgaged it to pay a debt to Alexander Cock.[8]

His body was found in marsh land near the North Arm Road, Dry Creek. He never married and appeared to have no relations in South Australia, though one John Thomson (1794–1869), later of "Lilybank", Mount Pleasant, and family are known to have stayed in the Balhannah region during their first years in the colony.[9]

Further reading

"Towns and Things We Know". The Chronicle (Adelaide). Vol. LXXVI, no. 4, 011. South Australia. 28 September 1933. p. 12. Retrieved 13 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.

References
  1. "Summary of News". The Border Watch. Vol. XVI, no. 1341. South Australia. 9 September 1876. p. 3. Retrieved 12 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. Geoff Manning. "Manning Index of SA Place Names: Balhannah". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  3. "Helen Caterer Tells Us About..." The Mail (Adelaide). Vol. 38, no. 1, 919. South Australia. 12 March 1949. p. 2 (Supplement to "The Mail"). Retrieved 13 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Advertising". South Australian Register. Vol. III, no. 118. South Australia. 25 April 1840. p. 3. Retrieved 12 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Advertising". South Australian Register. Vol. IV, no. 179. South Australia. 26 June 1841. p. 1. Retrieved 12 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "District Councils". Adelaide Times. Vol. IX, no. 1441. South Australia. 21 March 1855. p. 3. Retrieved 13 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "A Jewell Casket". The Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser. Vol. 68, no. 3908. South Australia. 16 September 1948. p. 5. Retrieved 13 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Law and Criminal Courts". South Australian Register. Vol. XXIV, no. 4195. South Australia. 26 March 1860. p. 3. Retrieved 14 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Personal". Port Pirie Recorder and North Western Mail. No. 36. South Australia. 16 May 1914. p. 3. Retrieved 14 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
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