Pishey Thompson

Pishey Thompson
Pishey Thompson in 1859
Born	18 June 1785(1785-06-18) Freiston, near Boston, Lincolnshire
Died	1862 (aged 76–77) London
Occupation	Historian, Bank Clerk, Schoolmaster, Bookseller, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, advisor to the United States government
Employer	Sheath's Bank, Garfit and Claypon
Known for	The History and Antiquities of Boston
Relatives	Frank Harrison Hill (grandson)

Pishey Thompson was born at Freiston, near Boston, on 18th June 1785. Orphaned at the age of 7, he was brought up by his grandparents and became a schoolmaster at Freiston in 1801. He worked in Sheath's Bank until it closed in 1814, and the went to Garfits Bank as their First Clerk where he remained until he emigrated to the United States in 1819. He had an interesting career in Washington, DC, including terms as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and as an adviser to the United States government. Initially he prospered in America, but his business eventually failed and he returned to England penniless in 1841. He first published a history of Boston in 1820. This was later enlarged and revised to form the famous The History and Antiquities of Boston‎ which was first published on 23rd October 1856.

Bibliography

• "Pishey Thompson's Boston Diary, 18th October 1842-6th April 1844" - Reprinted in 1994 by Richard Kay - ISBN 0902662112
• "The History and Antiquities of Boston" - Reprinted in 1997 by Heritage Lincolnshire - ISBN 0948639202
• "Collections for a Topographical and Historical Account of Boston, and the Hundred of Skirbeck" - Reprinted in 2012 by Lightning Source UK Ltd - ISBN 1130940969

See Also

• Beast Mart
• The History and Antiquities of Boston