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James Thomson

James Thomson was born in Ednam Manse on 11th September 1700 and was the son of Reverend Thomas Thomson, who was Church of Scotland minister in Ednam, and his mother was called Beatrix Trotter. Thomson was 6 weeks old when his family moved to Southdean from Ednam as his father had been called to that parish and he lived there for 15 years. He attended school in Jedburgh.
He was friendly with Robert Riccaltonn who became minister of Hobkirk, he guided him in his studies and helped him in his verse making. Riccaltonn wrote a poem "On a Winter´s Day" which was published in Edinburgh in 1718. It was this poem which gave young Thomson his cue and he wrote a poem "Winter", the first of the "Seasons" collection.

He became a student at Edinburgh University where he trained for the Ministry at only fifteen but in February 1716 his father died so his mother and siblings also moved to Edinburgh. On completing his degree, James headed to London where he was tutor to the sons of Lord Binning and Sir Charles Talbot. “Winter” his first poem was published by the London bookseller, Millan in March 1726 and brought him fame.
This was shortly followed by poems on Summer, Spring and Autumn, the last was published in 1730. He also wrote "A poem on the death of Isaac Newton", "Britannia" and "Liberty" published in 1732 was dedicated to the Prince of Wales. For this he received a pension of £100 per year and was made Surveyor General of the Leeward Islands. He also wrote tragedies, The Masque of Alfred was written by command of the Prince of Wales and performed at Cliveden in 1740. It is memorable as it contained the song "Rule Britannia" with words by Thomson and music by Thomas Arne. On 27 August 1748 he died having developed a fever.

The memory of James Thomson has been carved in stone and is preserved on several monuments. There is a bust of him in Westminster Abbey´s Poet´s Corner. Likewise in Edinburgh on Princes Street´s Scott Monument. Of course, there is the large sandstone obelisk outside Ednam on the way to Kelso. It has been suggested that this monument to Thomson was designed by James Craig, the same architect of Edinburgh’s much celebrated Georgian New Town who just happened to be Thomson’s nephew.

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