Thomson, Cecil, 1889-1952

Cecil Menzie Thomson was born in Brown's Town, Jamaica, on October 8, 1889, to John and Mary Thomson. By 1913, the family had moved to Toronto, Canada, and Thomson enlisted in the Canadian Army during World War I. He may have learned photography in the Toronto studio of William Coles. Thomson married Ellen Louise Walton, Coles' niece, in 1919, and moved to Texas in 1920, eventually setting up a photography studio in Houston. He engaged in both still and film photography, and copyrighted his work under the names of Cecil Thomson Studios and ABC Photo Thomson. With Ellen, Thomson had two children, Cecil M., Jr. and Mary Ellen. Later in life he divorced Ellen and married Laurine Cady. Thomson died of a heart attack in 1952, and is buried in Woodlawn Garden of Memories.

From the guide to the Cecil Thomson collection MC097., 1860-1953, (Bulk: 1920-1945), (Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library, )