Piano Tuner Lewis Thompson or "Thomasini"

ulrich · Post by **ulrich** » 21 Oct 2008, 18:59

Hi friends,
has anybody ever heard about the Englishman Lewis Thompson, British soldier who served in the Crimea and in India, migrated to Australia in 1867, worked as traveller for a Queenland music firm and, under the nickname Thomasini, as piano tuner?
He took part in an ill-fated expedition which only he survived.

I am working ( in German) on an historical book, in which Thompson could play an important role. Any idea, where I might find more information about him? Perhaps even in military archives?
Many thanks and kind regards
Ulrich

Post by **Bill Kibby** » 22 Oct 2008, 10:40

Strange for a piano tuner not to use his proper name. I haven't heard of him over here, although there were many Thompsons, it's a common name.

ulrich · Post by **ulrich** » 22 Oct 2008, 17:08

Thank you very much for the reply, Bill. Perhaps one of your friends might know more or have relations to piano tuners in Australia, interested in history?
I think, the "Thomasini" was more used as a nickname for Lewis Thompson by his friends, at least they teased him with it.
I dont know whether he worked as a piano tuner when he still was in England or in the army.

Do you think there might be a chance to get more information on him looking into archives of the army? He served with the 7th husars in India, as far as I know. The access to the archives, though, would at the moment have to be via internet, as I am working in Brazil right now, on the island of Itaparica in the bay of Salvador/ Bahia.
Want some sun?

Kind regards
Ulrich

Post by **vernon** » 22 Oct 2008, 21:40

My great grand dad Isaac deBock Kennard, a tuner,went from Margate Kent to Ballarat Australia in the 1860s.Family tales have it that he played on the emigrant ship going over and after that in the bars in Ballarat during the gold rush. Odd be cause they were a very religious family.
He returned to Margate after a while for some reason, but with a large gold nuggett on his watch chain though nobody in the family ever saw it that I know!
In the early 1900s great uncle Morris Kennard ,tuner, was sent to Shanghai after being arrested for gambling in Margate. He then went to Australia and disappeared.
Boring I know, but may be of interest.

ulrich · Post by **ulrich** » 22 Oct 2008, 22:25

Thanks, not boring at all. Who knows, perhaps the nugget will reappear in the book, as Lewis Thompson and your great grand dad might have been in Ballarat at the same time.

Anyway - one of the persons who went out on the expedition with Thompson spent some time in Ballarat jail.