THOMSON, Alice

1855 - 1937

As Alice Vass, she was born at Bedfont, Hounslow, Middlesex in 1855 and baptised at East Bedfont on 20 January 1856, daughter of Samuel Vass (c1829-1879), a labourer, and his wife Eliza née Fessey (c1833-1871), who married at Staines in 1853. In 1861, Alice was a 5-year-old, living at Duke's Head, Bedfont, Staines, Middlesex with her parents, 31-year-old Samuel and 28-year-old Eliza, with siblings Eliza 6, Harriet 3, Charles 1 and newly born Samuel, all born at Bedfont. Alice married at Brentford, Middlesex in 1886, William Profeit Thomson (27 September 1849-25 February 1927), a journalist, who was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. In 1891, 35-year-old Alice was living at Belgrave Terrace, Holls Lane, Acton, Middlesex with her 42-year-old husband William, and two children, Nellie S. 4 and Alexander Profeit 1, both born at Acton and both children died in 1895. In 1901 William and Alice were living at 25 Bollo Lane, Acton and were still there in 1911, when William was a sub-editor on a gardening newspaper. As Mrs W. P. Thomson, a member of the Ipswich Fine Art Club 1894-1902 who exhibited five pictures in 1897 from Brooklands, Crescent Road, East Barnet, London, 'Wild Flowers', 'Yellow Chrysanthemums' 'Heather', 'Twilight' and 'Poppies'. In 1898 she exhibited from Lyle Cottage, Florence Street, Hitchin, Hertfordshire 'The Cornish Cliff' and 'Cornwall-A Sketch', Lyle Cottage was then the home of 30-year-old artist Arthur Marshall and his family. In 1921 Alice and her husband were living at 25 Bollo Lane, Acton, Middlesex but she did not exhibit in later years. Alice Thomson died at 7 London Road, Chelmsford, Essex on 20 March 1937.