University College, Oxford, Register

[Lost in Tilloy]

Hi

I'm researching a local school Great War Memorial that has the following name on it:

Thomson, W.B., CCS Resident, Nigeria

Having searched various sources I came across a William Bannantyne Thomson, born January 1878 in Brechin, later a Barrister who worked in Nigeria, who was lost at sea in November 1917. I got this latter information from the Fettes College School Register. The register also mentions that this man attended University College, Oxford, Open School, B.A. 1902.

My questions are:

1. Was there a register for University College, Oxford? If so, does anyone have a copy and would they be kind enough to look up this man to see if there is any more information on him.

2. The Fettes register simply states 'lost at sea, Nov 1917.' I don't know if this was an accident [ie he fell overboard] or it implies that a ship was sunk around that date and he was lost as a result of enemy action. Does anyone know of any ships with a Nigerian connection that were lost in Nov 1917?

Any help appreciated.

Regards

LIT

[IPT]

Here's a 1909 article called "The Year Round in Northern Nigeria" by WB Thomson;

http://www.archive.org/stream/blackwoodsma...ge/644/mode/2up

Do you think it may be your man?

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Lost

Most if not all Oxford and Cambridge colleges publish an annual magazine, and they all keep records of their students whilst in residence. Deathes of former students are also usually reported, or there may have been a special post-war edition to cover those who had died during the War.

Contact the College through its website, but don't do it just yet as it is the beginning of the academic year and they will be very busy logging in the latest generation. Give them all you have: I suspect "Open School" should be "Open Schol[arship]" which means a speical entrance award, and this might make him easier to find.

The titles of these publications vary: it might be called the Register, but not necessarily.

Ron

[IPT]

Here's another one, regarding tribes in Northern Nigeria, which was published in 1919;

http://www.archive.org/stream/notesontribe...ge/110/mode/2up

[Old Owl]

Hi

I'm researching a local school Great War Memorial that has the following name on it:

Thomson, W.B., CCS Resident, Nigeria

Having searched various sources I came across a William Bannantyne Thomson, born January 1878 in Brechin, later a Barrister who worked in Nigeria, who was lost at sea in November 1917. I got this latter information from the Fettes College School Register. The register also mentions that this man attended University College, Oxford, Open School, B.A. 1902.

My questions are:

1. Was there a register for University College, Oxford? If so, does anyone have a copy and would they be kind enough to look up this man to see if there is any more information on him.

2. The Fettes register simply states 'lost at sea, Nov 1917.' I don't know if this was an accident [ie he fell overboard] or it implies that a ship was sunk around that date and he was lost as a result of enemy action. Does anyone know of any ships with a Nigerian connection that were lost in Nov 1917?

Any help appreciated.

Regards

LIT

Hi LIT,

He is not mentioned in the Oxford University Roll of Service published 1920, so he most probably simply drowned, rather than as a result of enemy action. My copy of the Fettes register 1870-1932 states: 'drowned Nov. 1917'

Your best bet is to write to the archives at University College, Oxford and enquire if there is an entry in the college magazine or alteratively in the Oxford Magazine which covers most deaths from the University during 1914-18.

I hope this helps, Robert

[Lost in Tilloy]

Many thanks to all who have replied. I will indeed contact Oxford as suggested.

Robert: Thanks for the update on the way he died. The Fettes register I have is slightly earlier [1870 to 1922]

IPT: many thanks for the articles. I can’t say for definite that it is him but it would be interesting if it was. If it is, then the second article would have to have been a posthumous entry as he died in Nov 1917. Very interesting read though.

Regards

LIT