Thompson, Matilda Louise (1871-1959)

Also known as
Clennell, Matilda LouiseThompson, Tilly (1871-1959)
Field of activity
Businesswoman and Philanthropist; benefactor; businessman/woman; travelling sales personnel
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-769067

Biographies

THOMPSON, MATILDA LOUISE (1871-1959), businesswoman and philanthropist, was born on 28 April 1871 at Ballarat, Victoria, fifth child of English-born John Clennell, engine driver, and his Scottish wife Matilda, née McIntosh. Having migrated to Melbourne in the early 1850s, her parents moved to Ballarat in 1870 where they quickly became respected members of the Jubilee Wesleyan Church. Both at home and at Sunday School, Tilly was taught to be self-sufficient and helpful: this philosophy was to remain with her.

View the full record at Australian Dictionary of Biography

Matilda Thompson was an active member of the Ballarat community. She raised a substantial sum of money for Ballarat's Avenue of Honour during the First World War and opened her home, Sunways, as a refuge for ex-servicemen.

Born 1871 and raised in Ballarat, Matilda was the fifth child of John Clennell (an English-born engine driver) and Matilda McIntosh (Scottish-born). Though she left school aged 13, her work with E. Lucas & Co. (a women's clothing company) from 1905 reportedly led her to become Australia's first female commercial traveller, and after a trip abroad as a buyer for the company, she returned to take charge of its 500 female staff. In 1914 she married William Daniel Thompson, a wealthy mining speculator and widower with six children.

Matilda was known for her patriotism. Between 1917 and 1919, she and the "Lucas Girls" raised money for Ballarat's Avenue of Honour (3912 trees along a 14 mile avenue) and subsequently for its Arch of Victory, reputedly costing £10,600 in total. Later Matilda taught women's health and exercise classes, travelling throughout Victoria to speak to women's groups, and used profits from her classes to erect a roll of honour at Ballarat, recording the names of those servicemen honoured in the Avenue. Both during and after the war she arranged welcome home ceremonies for returned soldiers and eventually opened her home "Sunways", on the shores of Lake Wendouree, as a refuge house for struggling ex-servicemen.

Matilda's patriotic efforts were recognised in 1939 when she received the gold medal of the Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' Imperial League of Australia; and again in 1941 when she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.).

Widowed in 1927, Matilda died in 1959 and was buried at Ballarat. The Ballarat Courier lamented, "it will be a long time before another personality of her ability and generosity appears on the Ballarat scene, and the special place which she made for herself in the community is unlikely again to be filled."

"Sunways" now operates as an aged care facility under the patronage of UnitingCare (The Uniting Church of Australia).

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

Resources for Matilda Louise Thompson

Selected resources (5)

Australian Dictionary of Biography

Australian Women's Register

  1. In Her Gift: Activism and Altruism in Australian Women's Philanthropy, 1880-2005
    Lemon, Barbara
    [2008]
    Published: School of Historical Studies, University of Melbourne
  2. Thompson, Matilda Louise (1871-1959)Australian Dictionary of Biography Online 12 : Thompson, Matilda Louise (1871-1959)
    Mansfield, Peter
    [2006]
    Published: Australian National University
    Series: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120232b.htm
  3. In Her Gift: Women Philanthropists in Australian History
    Australian Women's Archives Project
    [2009]
    Published: Australian Women's Archives Project
    Series: http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/wiph/home.html
  4. Faith, Hope and Charity Australian Women and Imperial Honours: 1901-1989
    Australian Women's Archives Project
    [2003]
    Published: Australian Women's Archives Project
    Series: http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/honours/honours.html

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  1. Masquerader Took Her Own Life OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.
    The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Friday 10 October 1947 p 5 Article
    ... convulsions after Mrs. Thompson had wilfully taken a lethal dose of strychnine. , Mrs. Matilda Lucy Taylor, ... Masquerader Took Her Own Life I OUR SPECIAL REPORTER. 1 SCONE, Thursday.-Mrs. Louise Agnes Thompson, 38, i who masqueraded as a man for nine 'years, committed suicide. . The Scone District Coroner, ... 443 words
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  3. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
    The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Saturday 23 September 1899 p 4 Article
    ... PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. From Messrs Ward, Lock, and Co (through Mr W Dymock); "Rosine and Sister bis1 er Louise," by G. J Whyte-Melville: "Australian Sketches," by Harry Farniss; "Chroni ... Ballinaliiwli/' by Mrs ITiiii¿erfvrd "A Romaneo of ti o 1 itbt Consul,' bv Matilda Mslline; I rom Mcsre. J ... 360 words
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