1880
Born in Allanton, New Zealand
1913
Marriage to Jane Blaikley (f.) in Highbury, England
1914
Birth of William Thomson (m.) in Finchley, England
1915
Birth of Kate Thomson (f.) in Finchley, England
1917
Birth of Edith Thomson (f.) in London, England
1919
Birth of Arthur Thomson (m.) in England, United Kingdom
As a child, Edward attended the Knox Church in Dunedin. His father, James, would sit at one end of the pew his large family filled and his mother, Agnes, in the middle with responsibility for keeping the children quiet. After morning service the family climbed the hill home to a hot dinner prepared by maids (who were allowed to attend the evening service).
Edward sometimes also attended the evening service and afterwards would gather with others at the church gate where invitations would be made to friends for supper and perhaps some music.
His father strongly objected to Sunday Schools and none of the family was allowed to attend but somehow they still managed to be at the annual treat, usually a picnic and games in a field.
The only means of transport for those travelling to church but unable to tackle the hill (and without a carriage), was by horse tram. The tram ran along the top from Maori Hill through Roslyn to the terminus of the cable tram, which carried them down the steep hill to Rattray Street where another horse tram took them along Princes Street and George Street to the Church.
Edward was first apprenticed in Dunedin, then, in 1903, at John Brown & Co., shipbuilders on Clydebank in Glasgow.
When he returned to London in 1904 he occasionally attended the Sandemanian (Glasite) Church in Highbury and was a frequent visitor to the family of David and Rachel Blaikley.
In 1913 Edward and Jane were married by the bride's father, David, who was the presiding Elder at the Highbury Church.
Between 1909 and 1940 he served with the Blue Star Line of Liverpool and London, as Chief Engineer, Assistant and Head Superintendent.