[1][2][3] Thomson was born in Ramsgate in Kent, the son of John Thomson, a surgeon, and his second wife Margaret.
[6][7] Thomson married Annie Buckley in 1881.
The family emigrated to South Africa after their three children were born.
[5] Thomson died after being hit by a locomotive in Cape Town harbour in July 1899 aged 45.
This biographical article related to an English cricket person born in the 1850s is a stub.