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| Birth: | 15 Oct 1888 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada 1 |
| Death: | 5 Aug 1951 in Go Home Bay, Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada 2 |
| Sex: | M |
| Father: | John Thompson b. 31 Dec 1835 in Norham, Northumberland, England |
| Mother: | Mary Mackenzie b. 25 Aug 1848 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada |
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| Also Known As: Bob Thompson |
| Cause of Death: heart attack |
| Burial: Beechwood Cemetery, Ottawa, ON, Canada 3 3 |
| Military Service: 5 Aug 1918 volume I of the Royal Canadian Air Force official history |
| Military Service: Gunner, then chaplain |
| Occupation: Presbyterian Minister (see notes) |
| Graduation: 1913 Knox College, Bachelor of Divinity 4 |
| Graduation: 1910 B.A. University of Toronto |
| Education: 1904 Entered University of Toronto at age 16 |
| Religion: Chalmers United Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
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| Elizabeth Thornton Gowans (Wife) b. 30 Nov 1889 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Marriage: | 6 SEP 1919 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Children: | |
 Mary Mackenzie Thompson b. 11 Sep 1920 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Elizabeth Thornton Thompson b. 20 Nov 1922 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- John Gowans Thompson b. 5 Mar 1928 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Helen Gowans Thompson
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Individual:
Canadian Airman, British Flying Service of World War I, From 1914 to 1919
Surname : THOMPSON
Given Name: ROBERT F
RANK (Attained): CAD CADET
Province-Country Code: F
Town: TORONTO
Birth Day:
Birth Month:
Birth Year:
Previous Occupation:
Joining Service : RAF
Joining Location:
Joining Date D/M/Y: 08051918
Source Information
This compilation comes from volume I of the Royal Canadian Air Force official history. It covers the period of 1914 - 1919.
Names: THOMPSON , ROBERT FLEMING
Rank: CHP
Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 9655 - 22
From Dick Nugent
An excerpt from "The Clan Gillanders" by Dr. H. E. Gillanders p.77
Robert Thompson became a Presbyterian Minister, and has been stationed in Ottawa for many years.
1901 Census- Sarnia
THOMPSON John (REV) H 12/31/1835 65 ENG SCOT PS CLERGYMAN
THOMPSON Mary W 08/25/1848 52 ONT SCOT PS
THOMPSON Alexander S 06/24/1881 19 ONT SCOT PS
THOMPSON Robert S 10/15/1888 12 ONT SCOT PS
Bob was interested in sports and he was a member of the University of Toronto's championship football team from 1910-1912.
Rev. Bob Thompson travelled to the Peace River District as the Presbyterian Church's pioneer mission in 1913 after graduating from Knox College B.D. He wrote about his perilous journey in a very eloquent article he submitted to East West: A Paper for Young Canadians along with photos. The article appeared in October 11, 1913 edition.
During WWI, he enlisted as a gunner and in 1915 became a chaplain with the Fourth Field Ambulance Brigade. He was awarded the Military Cross for bravery during this time.
Following his marriage to Elsie, he became an executive Director of the Canadian National Insitute for the Blind CNIB. He also became secretary of the Toc-H, a society of WWI veterans. For 10 years he was the personnel manager for the Massey-Harris Company in Toronto. He also served as assistant welfare commissioner for the City of Toronto until 1937 when he came to Ottawa and was in charge of the Youth Training committee advising the National Employment Service. During WWII, he was in charge of Emergency Training for the Department of Labour which developed into the rehabilitation program for veterans. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1946 for his work in this field. He was an elder in Chalmers United Church.
Bob and Elsie purchased a cottage at Go Home Bay, Georgian Bay in 1926. Upon his death it passed to his eldest child Mary. The cottage continues to be enjoyed by the family. Bob died at Go Home Bay of a heart attack after delivering the Sunday church service. Elsie never returned to Go Home Bay after that.
Prior to his death, Bob was the Director of Training, C.V.T. with the Canadian Department of Labour. Upon his death many condolences were received including the following excerpt from Hon. Charles E. Greenlay, Minister of Labour: "...During the years of contact between his office and ours the closest co-operation has existed; his advice has been of great value and has been fully appreciated by the members of the staff of this department with whom he has worked. His patience and calm consideration of the many problems with which he had to deal was an example for his colleagues throughout the country."
I have very few memories of my grandfather as I was only 4 when he died. One vivid memory I do have is that he would pick me up and nibble on my ears and make noises in my ear. It must have tickled because I would be tortured by laughter.
His body was placed for viewing at his late residence 199 Clemow Ave. Service was conducted by Dr. George Kilpatrick and assisted by Dr. John W. Woodside. pal Bearers were Hon. Justice C.A. Cameron, J.E. MacKay, A.W. Crawford, A.R. Rogers, Col. W.E.L. Coleman, W.C. Murdie
Source: Barbara Morgan
Sermon delivered by the late Mr. R. F. Thompson at Go-Home-Bay August 5, 1951
My text this morning is found in the words of the gospel according to St. Matthew chapter 16, verse 25.
"FOR WHOSOEVER WILL SAVE HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT:
AND WHOSOEVER WILL LOSE HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE SHALL FIND IT".
It is a significant fact that the word "security" occupies a prominent place in our thoughts today. In magazines and newspapers - at international, national and local conferences - in sermons and speeches -it appears to remind us of our great need. As a prominent theme in our political life we hear it in the form of promises of a golden age, particularly elections. We are deluged with plans and proposals for economic security, old age security, national security. We do not hear much moral and spiritual security. My object and purpose is to show that it is the prerequisite of all the others, without it no real security of any kind is possible.
What a change this represents from former years when it was hardly mentioned. Yet it is inevitable in view of the changed conditions under which we must lead our lives. The word envisages an individual or community shut off by itself and isolated - safe from outside influence and intrusion. Security in that sense was probably possible in the past but not now. Developments in communication and transportation, trade and scientific knowledge have broken down the walls of partition. No individual today can live by itself and to itself. We are exposed to all kinds of influences from outside and unfortunately there has not been that progress in our our social, moral and spiritual concepts which shows us how to live with our neighbours. In other words, our modern civilisation has in a lopsided way.
There are many different kinds of security. In the last century the main concern was with political security, in the 1930's with economic. Today it is with social security on the one hand and military in the other. Concern over spiritual security is limited to a very small group. But whatever type of security is the goal, they all have this in common an anxiety to be saved from something, hellfire, unemployment, poverty, war rather a negative aspiration - too frequently sought entirely outside ourselves and independent of any action on our part. Some outside infallible authority would achieve it. In spiritual matters, Roman Catholics depend on an infallible church and its decrees - obey it and all will be well Protestants tend to find it in an infallible Book. Follow it literally and you win salvation. In social and economic security, of course, people look to the State -a paternal authority that knows best. This assurance is at once trusting and naive. Social Security was once limited in extent from the cradle to the grave, but just as radiation was found to extend far beyond the visible spectrum of light at each end so now Social Security has its ultra violet and infra red aspects from pre natal care to post burial benefits. In international areas we look to treaties, pacts and armaments for security.
But in none of these fields is security achieved so easily. We are not mere passive factors in the different spheres of human life and endeavour. There must be active participation and constructive thought and work by each one of us. Security can come only as we adopt a definite mode of life. We must be willing to pay the price. This I hope to show later means submission to God's purpose and following the way of Jesus. We need a revival of the old spirit of adventure and faith such as were exemplified by Abraham, the early immigrants to Canada, the martyrs and saints of religion. We must forget ourselves, and our own immediate selfish interests in our efforts for others. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." We do not and cannot win our own spiritual security by thinking solely of the salvation of our own souls or by being introspective and selfcentred. In the words of the hymn, we must lose ourselves in the ocean of God's love. The way of spiritual security is the way Jesus took - the sacrificial way of the Cross - "He saved others, Himself he could not save".
The only solid basis on which to build security - spiritual, economic, social, political - is Jesus Christ and the living out of His Gospel in His Spirit. "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life". Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid in Jesus Christ. Our treaties, pacts and social security measures depend for their validity on the character, integrity and good faith of those who participate in them. If these qualities are lacking, our confidence in the measures is misplaced and we are building on shifting sand.
Can we prevent or abolish war by increasing armaments, building faster aircraft, developing more destructive bombs? No! These are aimed rather at helping us to win a war which the spiritual immaturity of mankind has been unable to prevent. Does one minimize or remove the danger of by filling a building with inflammable materials or even by taking out fire insurance? Does not wisdom rather suggest as an essential preliminary the removal of those conditions and hazards that cause explosions such as our selfishness and indifference to others, our greed of gain, power or pleasure, our suspicions and prejudices, our hatreds and intolerance. The causes of these things are found deep in the heart of man, and what we call human nature but which is more properly called our animal nature for they constitute a relic or survival of the long distant past in the evolutionary process which it is the task and glory of man to eradicate.
Individual human beings are precious in the sight of God and their personalities are of infinite value. The development of human personality up to the limit of each individual's capacity is the main objective of life and of all human institutions. The purpose of the organized state is to create and maintain the environment most suitable for such development. There is a grave danger that in seeking security for the individual as it is conceived and carried out by the state, it may hinder and stunt the development those qualities which today, as in times past, are most desirable - a sense of adventure, independence, initiative, self-reliance and faith. That would be an irreparable tragedy and rob life of much of its zest. Social or economic security purchased at such a price would be too dear. The state is a creation of the people and represents them in their organized capacity. According to democratic ideal, the state exists for the individual, not the individual for the state. In the totalitarian scheme of things, the individual is a mere cog in the machine, he exists for the state and his interests are wholly submerged to those of the corporate state.
So in seeking security we must be on our guard lest we sell our birthright for a mess of pottage. Let us not be misled into taking the shadow for the substance. For the things which are seen are temporal but those which are not seen are eternal in their value.
If in the days to come we continue to pin our faith to a security materialistically founded and organized, I believe we will have a very bitter disillusionment. If we seek first the Kingdom of God and His will in our own lives and in the society to which we belong, all these other things will be added. The Communists have made a religion of their economic theories and carry on their propaganda or missionary work with a zeal worthy of a better cause. We Christians on the contrary have tended to water down the religion of Jesus to a code of conventional and highly respectable morals and for the most part ignore the fact that spiritual security must precede and underlie all the others. We are so much concerned about and so busy with our own plans that we seldom stop to ask ourselves what is God's plan? His purpose? Am I trying to fit my life to it or trying to make it fit my own ends? Am I trying in my own daily contacts by word and deed to create that soil or atmosphere of unselfishness, tolerance, honour, fair dealing, kindliness and understanding good will, faith in the Eternal Love and Purposes of God in which alone there can grow real security for all mankind?
Finally even in the realm of spiritual security, the attainment of which means - seeking to know the will of God and the striving to give it effect in our lives there is no fixed or detailed pattern for us to follow in every decision we are called on to make. There is no outside authority to whom we can delegate responsibility nor to which we can look for a ready made solution. There is no infallible Book, no infallible Church. No one to tell us what to do in every given situation. We must each work out our own salvation in fear and trembling yet knowing that if we are sincere the Spirit of the Living God will guide our steps. Life is a great adventure of faith. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to Life Eternal. Yet there are signposts by the way. Any person who is solely or mainly concerned with the salvation of his own soul or body and gives little or no thought to his fellow wayfarers can be certain that he is on the wrong road. He that saveth his life shall lose it but he that loseth his life for my sake, the same shall find it.
(Bob Thompson died of a heart attack after delivering this sermon.)
Burial Records: THOMPSON Robert Fleming Beechwood, Ottawa (1931-1955) Carleton Ottawa OT-95-01
The following story was told to me on Thursday July 17, 2003 by John Duncanson Sr. who was 82 at the time. Apparently in or around 1932 when John's father, Brigadier General Duncanson, applied to the Madawaska Club of Go Home Bay for membership, the regulations stated that the applicant must be either an undergraduate, graduate or faculty of the University of Toronto to be accepted. If the applicant was blackballed by 3 members then the applicant was turned down. The Brigadier was an undergraduate who was not pursuing a final degree. He was apparently blackballed by Rev. Bob Thompson who called the Brigadier and personally explained to him that he was the one who had blackballed him solely due to the definition of an undergraduate being one who was proceeding towards a degree, which the Brigadier was not. The Brigadier was accepted into the Madawaska Club as 3 blackballs were needed to deny membership. No hard feelings were held and the Brigadier greatly respected Bob Thompson's honesty. Source: Barbara Morgan
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- Title: 1901 Census -Sarnia
Text: ON LAMBTON (West/Ouest) (#79)
Subdistrict: Sarnia (Town/Ville) f-3 Page 3
Details: Schedule 1 Microfilm T-6477
- Title: John Gowans Thompson
- Title: Beechwood Cemetery Ottawa, Ontario Canada
Media: Book
Page: gravestone
- Title: East West: A Paper for Young Canadians Vol. XI No. 41 Toronto, October 11, 1913
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