Henry Thompson (veterinary surgeon) facts for kids
Henry Thompson (1836–1920) was a very important person in the world of farming and animal care. He was a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, which means he was a qualified animal doctor, or vet. He also helped start several important groups in his area, like the Aspatria Agricultural Society, the Aspatria Agricultural Cooperative Society, and the Aspatria Agricultural College.
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Henry Thompson's Early Life and Learning
Henry Thompson was born in a place called Allonby, in Cumberland, on September 9, 1836. He was the youngest of seven children. His father was a tailor who didn't earn much money. When Henry was thirteen, he started working as an apprentice for a druggist in Maryport. He worked very long hours, from early morning until late at night.
Later, he moved to Whitehaven to learn how to be a vet from John Fisher, who was the best vet in Cumberland at the time. After two more years of learning practical skills in Carlisle, he went to the Edinburgh Veterinary College. There, he studied with Professor William Dick, who founded the famous Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.
Henry studied very hard for five years. He earned many special qualifications, including diplomas from the Highland and Agricultural Society and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. He was one of only two vets in Cumberland to hold both of these important diplomas. He also won several awards, like two silver medals for learning about animal bodies (Anatomy) and how they work (Physiology). He also got top certificates in Chemistry, Histology, and Pathology.
Helping Farmers and Agriculture
On June 4, 1860, Henry arrived in Aspatria with very little money. He started working as a junior partner in a vet practice there. He became good friends with Sir Wilfrid Lawson, 2nd Baronet of Brayton. Together, they became key members of the local farmers' clubs.
In 1869, Henry, along with William Norman and John Twentyman, organized the yearly Aspatria Agricultural Show. These three friends were sometimes called the 'dauntless three' because of their courage and hard work. The next year, they started the Aspatria Agricultural Cooperative Society. This group helped farmers work together. In 1874, they also set up the Aspatria Agricultural and Commercial School, which later became the Aspatria Agricultural College. This college helped teach young people about farming. In 1893, when the Agricultural School was sold, the people in charge gave Henry a piano and a gold watch. This was to thank him for all the hours he spent teaching without pay.
Amazing Achievements as a Vet
Henry Thompson had many great successes as a vet. He was one of the first people to try using salt on land to kill insect pests. During his experiments, he also found that salt helped prevent other diseases in animals, like 'red water' in cattle. He also thought of a way to cure 'milk fever' in cattle, even before a Danish scientist named Karl Schmidt officially discovered it. In 1895, he had good success treating foot and mouth disease, which caused many cattle to get sick and die, especially when they were having calves.
Henry was also a respected writer about animals and farming. For over forty years, he edited a magazine called 'North British Agriculturist'. His own book, 'Elementary Veterinary Science for Agricultural Students, Farmers, and Stock-Keepers', is still considered an important textbook today, even 120 years after it was first published in 1895. It was printed seven times and was even used and translated during the Great War. He also wrote thirty-six articles for 'Greens' encyclopaedia, which was a leading source of information at the time.
Helping His Community
Henry Thompson was very involved in his community. He was a member of the Aspatria Urban District Council and the Wigton Board of Guardians. He was also a director for the West Cumberland Dairy Company and the Aspatria Gas Works. He was the president of the Aspatria RUFC (a rugby club) and a trustee for the Aspatria National Schools. He even helped start the Aspatria Volunteer Fire Brigade.
He also helped collect money from the public to build the first footpaths in the area. He was the secretary for the Aspatria Agricultural College, the Cumberland Steam Ploughing Society, and the Aspatria Model Building Society. For more than fifty years, he was also the secretary for the Aspatria Agricultural Cooperative Society. He was also very knowledgeable about the local Cumbrian dialect.
How People Remembered Him
Henry Thompson always believed in the power of working together, or 'cooperation'. He never stopped showing farmers how helpful it could be. He helped them overcome their doubts and work as a team. He worked for his community with a clear goal, and no amount of money could ever pay him back for his dedication. After Henry Thompson, who was called the 'Grand Old Man of Cumberland Farming', passed away, a magazine called 'Wheatsheaf' wrote a special tribute to him:
"There is no name more honourable in the records of agricultural co-operation than that of Henry Thompson of Aspatria Cumberland. Although a visionary surgeon and a leading authority on the pathology of animals for sixty years he found time not only to act as secretary of the Aspatria Agricultural Society, but also to champion the cause with his pen."
