most famous persons in the worlds of art, letters, science, politics, diplomacy, and fashion met at his table in Wimpole Street. King George V, when Prince of Wales, attended Thompson's 300th 'octave.'
Thompson, who was knighted in 1867, was created a baronet on 20 Feb. 1899. He died at 35 Wimpole Street on 18 April 1904, and was cremated at Golder's Green. He married, on 16 Dec. 1861, Kate Fanny, daughter of George Loder of Bath. His wife, a well-known pianist, long suffered from paralysis, but survived her husband, dying on 30 Aug. 1904, leaving issue a son, Henry Francis Herbert, who became second baronet, and two daughters.
A three-quarter length portrait, painted by Sir J. E. Millais, R.A., in 1881, hangs in the National Gallery. There is also a bust by F. W. Pomeroy, A.R.A., at Golder's Green. A cartoon portrait by 'Ape' appeared in 'Vanity Fair' in 1874.
Thompson's chief works are: 1. 'The Pathology and Treatment of Stricture of the Urethra both in the Male and Female,' 1854; 4th edit., London and Philadelphia, 1885; translated into German, München, 1888. 2. 'The Enlarged Prostate, its Pathology and Treatment,' 1858; 6th edit. London and Philadelphia, 1886; translated into German, Erlangen, 1867. 3. 'Practical Lithotomy and Lithotrity,' 1863; 3rd edit. 1880; translated into German, Kassel und Berlin, 1882. 4. 'Clinical Lectures on Diseases of the Urinary Organs,' 1868; 8th edit. 1888; also American editions; translated into French, 1874 and again in 1889; translated into German, Berlin, 1877. 5. 'The Preventive Treatment of Calculous Disease,' 1873; 3rd edit. 1888. 6. 'Cremation,' 1874; 4th edit. 1901. 7. 'Food and Feeding,' 1880; 12th edit, enlarged, 1910. 8. 'On Tumours of the Bladder,' 1884. 9. 'Lectures on some Important Points connected with the Surgery of the Urinary Organs,' 1884. 10. 'Diet in Relation to Age and Activity,' 1886, 12mo; 4th edit. 1903; revised edit. 1910. 11. 'On the Suprapubic Operation of opening the Bladder for the Stone and for Tumours,' 1886. 12. 'Modern Cremation, its History and Practice,' 1889; 4th edit. 1901.
Thompson was also part author of the article on cremation in the 11th edition of the 'Encyclopædia Britannica.' 'Traité pratique des maladies des voies urinaires,' a collected edition of Thompson's surgical works, was published at Paris in 1880.
[Lancet, 1904, i. 1167 (with portrait); Brit. Med. Journal, 1904, i, 1191 (with portrait); private information.]
THOMPSON, LYDIA (1836–1908), actress, was born in London on 19 Feb. 1836. Her father died during her childhood, her mother remarried, and she was compelled early to earn her living. Having a taste for dancing, she took to the stage, and was joined there by her younger sister, Clara. In 1852 Lydia made her début in the ballet at Her Majesty's Theatre. In the Christmas of 1853 she was engaged to play Little Silverhair at the Haymarket in the pantomime of 'Little Silverhair, or Harlequin and the Three Bears.' Her performance won the praise of Professor Henry Morley in the 'Examiner.' In 1854 she danced delightfully for sixty nights at the same house in Planché's Easter extravaganza, 'Mr. Buckstone's Voyage round the Globe,' and appeared on 18 Oct. at the St. James's in the burlesque of 'The Spanish Dancers,' in which she mimicked Señora Perea Nana. At Christmas she returned to the Haymarket, in the leading character of 'Little Bopeep who lost her Sheep,' and was again highly praised by Morley. At the close of 1856 it was announced that she was dancing her way through the theatres of Germany with pleasant success. In the winter season of 1859-60 she made a hit at the St. James's by her dancing in a succession of light pieces. At the Lyceum on 9 April 1861 she acted in the Savage Club burlesque of 'The Forty Thieves,' and played, among other roles, Norah in the first production of Falconer's comedy of 'Woman, or Love against the World' (19 Aug. 1861).
By this period she had begun to make excursions into the country, where she long maintained her popularity. On 31 Oct. 1864, at the opening of the new Theatre Royal, Birkenhead, by Alexander Henderson (whose second wife she subsequently became), she sustained the title character in Burnand's 'Ixion,' the first modern burlesque in more than one act. Afterwards she fulfilled several engagements under Henderson at the Prince of Wales's, Liverpool. Here, in Dec. 1864, she played Mary in 'Used up’ to the Sir Charles Coldstream of Sothern and the Ironbrace of Mr. (now Sir) Squire Bancroft. Here, also, on Whit Monday 1866 she was seen as the title character in the burlesque of 'Paris,' to the Œnone of (Sir) Henry Irving. Meanwhile, early in 1865, she had fulfilled a successful engagement at Drury Lane.
On 15 Sept. 1866 Lydia Thompson made her first appearance at the new Prince of Wales's Theatre, Tottenham Court Road, in the afterpiece of the 'Pas de Fascination,' and on 10 Oct. played with acceptance the
