THE CHRISTOPHER THOMPSON MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN
THE CHRISTOPHER THOMPSON MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN AT THE ROYAL HOTEL IN BRAY
The fountain and obelisk at the Royal Hotel in Bray was erected, by public subscription, in memory of Dr Christopher Thompson, who died in 1876. I read somewhere that he was the only Medical Doctor in Ireland to have a monument such as this in their honour but I have photographed four others.
[1] The Raheny Cross in memory of Marie Elizabeth Hayes, doctor and missionary
[2] Thomas Thompson Memorial Fountain - Belfast
[3] Memorial to Dr. William Ashford - located in Sandymount
[4] Memorial To Dr. Issac William Usher in Dundrum.
Note: I believe that Marie Hayes was the first woman in Ireland to qualify as a Doctor.
Dr. Thompson was born in Dublin in 1815 and joined the British Army, as a Doctor, and was assigned to the Light Infantry in Cobh [known as Queenstown at the time]. At some stage he was promoted and moved to the UK and later took up a position at Portsmouth general Hospital. In 1859 he returned to Ireland where had a house at Duncairn Terrace in Bray.
He was involved in fighting an outbreak of cholera in Bray in 1879 but he died towards the end of the year. He is buried in St. Paul’s graveyard across the road from the memorial.
I believe that his wife died about nine years later and that she is buried in Mount Jerome cemetery which is in Harold’s Cross in Dublin. I will check this the next time I visit the cemetery but it strikes me as a bit odd that she was not buried with her husband.
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