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The Joseph Thomson Group

Please note the next meeting for the Joseph Thomson Group will be on

Tuesday 17th August 2010

at 7.30pm.

in Gladstone Hall, Penpont.

Everyone Welcome.

Just over a year after the ornamental brass lions were stolen from the base of Thornhill’s memorial to the African Explorer Joseph Thomson, a new set of lions are set to be put in place thanks to the imagination and determination of a small group of local people. As soon as the original lions were stolen the search went out for photographs showing the original lions. Sophia Harkness, Chair of Penpont’s Joseph Thomson Group came up with these. In stepped local artist Brian Lord to draw up full size drawings of the lions from which he fashioned replica lions in plasticine. Next to become involved was local engineering wizard Joe Maxwell who constructed a latex mould from Brian’s platicine replica. Using his mould Joe then formed the new lions of fibre glass impregnated with brass powder. Plans are now afoot for local stone mason David McMichael to prepare the damaged stone work so that the new lions can be finally put in place.

Brian Lord said ‘I am delighted that we have managed to play our part in restoring the damage to this important local monument.’

Sophia Harkness of the Joseph Thomson Group said ‘I am very impressed with the replacement lions. Once they are finally in place, the community can once again be proud of the memorial to one of its most famous sons.’

Picture shows Brian Lord with his drawings, Joe Maxwell with his latex mould and two of the final replacement lions. Also in the picture are Sophia Harkness, Ena Dobie and Gladys Cuttle of the Joseph Thomson Group.

                           Gordon Neilson   Early July 2010    

In 1998, after the death of Mrs.CARSON who stayed over 60years in the house were JOSEPH THOMSON was born in 1858. A suggestion was made by the late Mr JOHN DAVIES of CAIRNMILL to the Penpont Community Council that a project for the millennium could be to turn the house in Marrburn Road into a museum or centre to commemorate Joseph Thomson and History of Penpont and the local area.

A public meeting held on 17/9/98 proved sucessful with lots of interest for the above project. Although Penpont Community Council keen for the project they were unable to take on any other tasks so therefore birth of a new community group.

Aims of the group are to create a local history centre to became both a respository of local information and a resource to local people.

contact for details to:

JT Project,

PO Box 7912,

Thornhill,

DG3 4WW.

We are badly in need of more committee members, helpers and funds.

Please remember you can always visit our website at

www.penpontheritage.co.uk