Thompson Family and Drinking Fountains

Members of the Thompson family were responsible for gifts of two drinking fountains in Cardiff's parks, Sir David's Field (later Thompson's Park) and Llandaff Fields.

The family had a long association with Llandaff, beginning with Charles Thompson (1815-1889), who made his home at Preswylfa in Llandaff in 1857 and established the family firm, Spillers Milling, in Cardiff.[1]

Thompson's children included Charles Thompson (1851-1938) and Herbert Metford Thompson (1856-1939). Herbert Thompson, who lived at Whitley Batch, Llandaff, served as a City councillor and alderman from 1906 until 1929.[2] The younger Charles Thompson lived at Penhill in Llandaff and owned Sir David's Field, which he opened to the public as a pleasure ground in 1891. He gave Sir David's Field to the Cardiff Council in 1912 and it later became known as Thompson's Park.

Charles and Herbert Thompson were instrumental in bringing about the purchase by the Cardiff Council of Llandaff Fields as a public open space in 1898. The drinking fountain that can still be seen in Llandaff Fields (though no longer operational) was given by Mrs Herbert Thompson in 1900.

Charles Thompson died in his home at Penhill Close, Cardiff on 25th March 1938.[3] Herbert Thompson died in London on July 26th 1939. His wife Ethel died in May 1939.[4]

Sources of Information

  1. Thompson Family of Cardiff Papers Glamorgan Archives reference: DTC
  2. Western Mail & South Wales News July 28th 1939 page 5
  3. The Times (London, England), Friday, Mar 25, 1938; page 16
  4. Western Mail & South Wales News May 6th 1939 page 14