Charles Tompson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Tompson
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| Born | June 26, 1807 Sydney, Australia
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| Died | January 5, 1883 (aged 75) Sydney, Australia
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Poet, public servant |
Charles Tompson (born June 26, 1807 – died January 5, 1883) was an important Australian public servant. Many people believe he was the very first poet born in Australia to have his poems published.
Contents
Early Life and First Book
Charles Tompson was born in Sydney in 1807. He was the oldest child of Charles Tompson Senior, a farmer, and his mother, Elizabeth. His father arrived in Sydney in 1804.
Young Charles went to school at Castlereagh. He studied at Henry Fulton's school there. After finishing school, he began working for the government in New South Wales. This was called the public service.
Australia's First Published Poet
In 1826, Charles Tompson made history. He published a book of poems called Wild Notes, from the Lyre of a Native Minstrel. He was only 20 years old at the time.
This book was very special. It was the first collection of poems published in Australia by someone born there. While his early poems might be seen as "juvenilia" (works from a young writer), they are important because they were the first of their kind.
Charles Tompson wrote more poems and stories later in his life. However, these were never put together into a book. One of his poems, Australia, appeared in the Sydney Gazette newspaper in 1829. It was also printed as a small pamphlet.
Career as a Public Servant
In 1830, Charles Tompson married Hannah Morris. They were married at St Matthew's Church in Windsor. By 1831, he was working as a clerk in the colonial secretary's office in Sydney.
He stayed in this role until 1836. Then, he moved back to Penrith. There, he worked as a clerk of petty sessions. This job involved helping with minor legal cases. Later, he became a clerk in Camden.
Working in Parliament
Charles Tompson continued to advance in his career. He was appointed as the third clerk in the Legislative Council of New South Wales. The Legislative Council is part of the government that makes laws.
He worked his way up to become the clerk of parliaments. This was a very important role in the Legislative Council. In 1860, he became the clerk of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. This is another part of the government that makes laws.
People who worked in the Legislative Assembly liked Charles Tompson very much. They found him to be a polite and helpful officer. He retired from his job on January 31, 1869. Charles Tompson passed away in Sydney on January 5, 1883.
