Thompson of Fernbank
William Herbert Thompson married Eleanor Rachel (Nellie) Bourne
born 2 Apr 1871 13 Apr 1902 born circa 1874
Wexford Shillelagh, Co Wicklow Tinahely, Co Wicklow
died 4 Feb 1947 died 3 Aug 1936
Dublin Dublin
William Herbert Thompson born circa 2 Apr 1871 son of Joseph Smithson Thompson, an iron
monger and Suzanne Pillar. He married Eleanor Rachel Bourne at Shillelagh Church of Ireland
Parish Church on 13 Apr 1902. William was an engineer and partner in the engineering firm of
Thompson Brothers, Wexford and Eleanor Rachel Bourne was the daughter of Jacob Bourne and
Ellen Taylor of Forttown, Tinahely, Co Wicklow. In 1911 Eleanor was staying at Forttown with her
widowed mother in 1911 and living Kenilworth Road in 1926. William was retired by 1936.
Eleanor died on 3 Aug 1936 at Clontarf. William died 4 Feb 1947 in Dublin and is buried at Temple
Hill.
1 Eleanor Phyllis (Phyllis) Thompson born 21 Jan 1904 at Custom House Quay, Wexford.
She was living with her mother at Kenilworth Square and was an assistant secretary in the
Irish Motor Agents Association in 1926.
2 Arthur Geoffrey (Geoffrey) Thompson born 6 Aug 1905 in Wexford. He was living with his
mother at Kenilworth Square and was a medical student in 1926.
3 Alan Herbert Thompson was born 8 Nov 1906 at Quay, Wexford. He was a Quaker and was
involved in the Temperance movement at a young teenager. In 1926 he was living with
his mother at Kenilworth Square and was a medical Student. He graduated Trinity and was
a medical doctor living at Sunbury Gardens in Dartry Road when he married Frances Sylvia
Reeves on 3 Aug 1932 at the Friends Meeting House in Churchtown. Sylvia was living at 12
Clare Street and was the daughter of Samuel George Reeves, a dental surgeon. He had a
practice at 24 Fitzwilliam Square and later at 9 Fitzwilliam Square. In 1941 he was part of a
deputation to the Lord Mayor of Dublin to highlight the problem of TB, in 1942 he is set up
a Rheumatism Clinic Association and in 1943 he was president elect of the Biological Society
of the RCSI. In 1943 Sylvia was the informant of the death of Kathleen Green, the owner of
Fernbank. Alan was part of a mission with Col T J McKinney, head of the Red Cross to set
up a hospital at Saint-Lô in Normandy in 1945. He was instrumental in getting his friend
Samuel Beckett to volunteer as an interpreter and storekeeper at the field hospital. He
received the Silver La médaille de la Reconnaissance Française in 1948 for his work in charge
of supplies and Samuel Beckett received the bronze medal as store keeper. He sold his
Residence Fernbank, Churchtown to the Notre Dame des Missions circa 1952. In 1962 he
was a professor of medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and president of the
Royal College of Physicians in 1963. Alan died 23 Mar 1974 at St Laurence’s Hospital late of
Rocklands, Harbour Road, Dalkey. He was survived by his widow and three sons.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - July 2026
Return to Fernbank page
William Herbert Thompson married Eleanor Rachel (Nellie) Bourne
born 2 Apr 1871 13 Apr 1902 born circa 1874
Wexford Shillelagh, Co Wicklow Tinahely, Co Wicklow
died 4 Feb 1947 died 3 Aug 1936
Dublin Dublin
William Herbert Thompson born circa 2 Apr 1871 son of Joseph Smithson Thompson, an iron
monger and Suzanne Pillar. He married Eleanor Rachel Bourne at Shillelagh Church of Ireland
Parish Church on 13 Apr 1902. William was an engineer and partner in the engineering firm of
Thompson Brothers, Wexford and Eleanor Rachel Bourne was the daughter of Jacob Bourne and
Ellen Taylor of Forttown, Tinahely, Co Wicklow. In 1911 Eleanor was staying at Forttown with her
widowed mother in 1911 and living Kenilworth Road in 1926. William was retired by 1936.
Eleanor died on 3 Aug 1936 at Clontarf. William died 4 Feb 1947 in Dublin and is buried at Temple
Hill.
1 Eleanor Phyllis (Phyllis) Thompson born 21 Jan 1904 at Custom House Quay, Wexford.
She was living with her mother at Kenilworth Square and was an assistant secretary in the
Irish Motor Agents Association in 1926.
2 Arthur Geoffrey (Geoffrey) Thompson born 6 Aug 1905 in Wexford. He was living with his
mother at Kenilworth Square and was a medical student in 1926.
3 Alan Herbert Thompson was born 8 Nov 1906 at Quay, Wexford. He was a Quaker and was
involved in the Temperance movement at a young teenager. In 1926 he was living with
his mother at Kenilworth Square and was a medical Student. He graduated Trinity and was
a medical doctor living at Sunbury Gardens in Dartry Road when he married Frances Sylvia
Reeves on 3 Aug 1932 at the Friends Meeting House in Churchtown. Sylvia was living at 12
Clare Street and was the daughter of Samuel George Reeves, a dental surgeon. He had a
practice at 24 Fitzwilliam Square and later at 9 Fitzwilliam Square. In 1941 he was part of a
deputation to the Lord Mayor of Dublin to highlight the problem of TB, in 1942 he is set up
a Rheumatism Clinic Association and in 1943 he was president elect of the Biological Society
of the RCSI. In 1943 Sylvia was the informant of the death of Kathleen Green, the owner of
Fernbank. Alan was part of a mission with Col T J McKinney, head of the Red Cross to set
up a hospital at Saint-Lô in Normandy in 1945. He was instrumental in getting his friend
Samuel Beckett to volunteer as an interpreter and storekeeper at the field hospital. He
received the Silver La médaille de la Reconnaissance Française in 1948 for his work in charge
of supplies and Samuel Beckett received the bronze medal as store keeper. He sold his
Residence Fernbank, Churchtown to the Notre Dame des Missions circa 1952. In 1962 he
was a professor of medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and president of the
Royal College of Physicians in 1963. Alan died 23 Mar 1974 at St Laurence’s Hospital late of
Rocklands, Harbour Road, Dalkey. He was survived by his widow and three sons.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - July 2026
Return to Fernbank page
