Isaac Thompson

Isaac Thompson was born in about 1772 to a non-conformist family in Sedgley, Staffordshire. He went into business as a Japanner and owned a Japan Factory in Oxford Street in Bilston. Records of some of his property dealings are available in the Wolverhampton Archives (Ref DX-510 from 1807-1828). His father Richard Thompson came from a line of Locksmiths in Sedgley and it is probably he who first ventured into this specialism of the metal trade. 

The art of Japanning had first become fashionable in the court of George III in the 1780’s and Wolverhampton and Bilston in particular became the centre of the revived European industry. In 1818 a Trade Directory listed over 15 Japanning companies in Bilston alone.

Isaac married Sarah Astley on 25 April 1795 in St Peter’s Collegiate Church in Wolverhampton.

in 1818 he is mentioned as the executor of his wealthy uncle, Isaac Whitehouse‘s will. His mother was Elizabeth Whitehouse and indeed he called one of his daughters Elizabeth Whitehouse Thompson.

In 1827 Isaac went bankrupt. In the bankruptcy hearing held on 19 Feb 1827 in Shifnal he is described as Isaac Thompson of Bilston, Japanner, Dealer and Chapman. Records (including a sale poster of 1827) show that the premises in Oxford Street had to be sold, presumably to pay off debts. His sons Joshua and Titus also apparently were engaged for periods in Japanning at least until 1837. His nephew also Isaac was able to continue in the Japanning trade until the 1870’s.

Isaac Thompson died on 10 Sep 1838

His son John Thompson was the most successful and long lived of his children and set up a partnership with Edward Bagnall Dimmack as an Iron Founder in Bilston. His daughter Anne Thompson married Edward Bagnall Dimmack in 1831.

His son Joshua Thompson ran the Green Dragon in Wednesbury until 1839 when it was sold. Afterwards he became a Sub Bailiff for the courts in Wolverhampton until his death in 1849.

Family of Isaac THOMPSON and Sarah ASTLEY