Joe Thompson (bookmaker)

In an interview with Ernest Whitington ("Rufus" of The Register), he arrived in 1854 as an apprentice seaman, and "jumped ship" by hiding in an empty water barrel for 36 hours before being unloaded at Sandridge pier.

So you see, sir, there's plenty of business for me and such as me.In those days there were four big bookmakers: Thomas Coker, Tom Bavin, "the morose" Boole and Fred Goyder, who guarded their monopoly jealously.

[4] Thompson was for a period a successful owner; horses he either owned openly or had interests in, included King of the Ring, Argus Scandal, Don Juan (winner of the 1873 Melbourne Cup), Romula, St Albans and Mentor, all trained by James Wilson.

He was one of a party of bookmakers in the train wrecked in the Salt Clay Creek railway disaster of 25 January 1885, when seven passengers lost their lives, though none in their carriage.

In 1889, at the top of the racing game and one of the wealthiest men in Australia, and with the possible exception of Alfred Joseph, the richest bookmaker, Thompson left for England and pastures new.