The Riddell Collection of Wax Seals:
Seal Life Stories: the remarkable careers of 23 individuals from the Riddell Collection of Wax Seals
15: Reverend Doctor William Thomson aka “Thomas newte” (1746-1817)
The title page of “Thomas Newte”’s Tour in England and Scotland (London 1791). Signet Library collections.
William Thomson was born at Burnside (Forteviot) to Matthew Thomson, a carpenter and builder, and the daughter of a neighbouring schoolmaster, surname Miller. He was educated at the grammar school in Perth before entering St Andrews University to study theology, later attending Edinburgh University. While at University he became employed as private librarian at Dupplin Castle to the Earl of Kinnoull (chancellor of the university). He was later ordained and was made assistant to the minister of Monivaird. He was quite unsuited to life as a clergyman, his behaviour being such that he “was obliged by the complaints of his parishioners to resign”.
He was supported by the Earl of Kinnoull when he moved to London to pursue a literary career. He wrote prolifically, particularly on voyages and travel, which was a very popular genre at the time. Many of his travel books were written under pseudonyms, often inspired by high ranking military/naval personnel, the best known being “Thomas Newte”. Thomas Newte was a Captain in the East India Company, but it isn’t known whether or not he was aware of William Thomson.
William was notably the writer of a piece of early science fiction – ‘The Man in the Moon, or Travels into the Lunar Regions, by the Man of the People’, a satirical/allegorical story in which the Man in the Moon descends to earth and whisks the radical politician Charles Fox back to the moon. The moon was a popular setting for writers of the time – a place suitably removed from Europe in which creative narratives could be played out.
He married twice, first to to Diana Miltone, and later to Anna (Thomson), with children by both wives.