William Thompson, first to take an underwater photograph, lived at Frederick Place, Weymouth

11 FREDERICK PLACE, WEYMOUTH

DID you know that the first underwater photograph was taken in Weymouth Bay by William Thompson?

In 1856 Thompson lowered a housed plate camera to the seabed and operated the shutter from a boat.

Thompson was born in Hamworthy and completed his education in France before returning to live at Lychett Minster.

In 1847 William Thompson married Sarah Slade, a member of a well-known Poole family of Newfoundland merchants. Soon after the marriage, the couple set up house where at 11 Frederick Place, Weymouth, Thompson practised as a solicitor.

Thompson had many interests. He was the owner of a yawl of 104 tons, named the "Waif", and a 12 ton cutter named "Feather Star", both of which were used for trawling and dredging in Weymouth Bay. He was a member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club and later became a founder member of the Dorset Yacht Club. As a naturalist Thompson discovered several new species of anemones and seaweeds.

He died at 3 Gloucester Row, Weymouth, on April 15, 1879. Thompson lies with his wife and father and other members of the family in a vault near the entrance to the graveyard at Wyke Regis.