10 C. HEDLEY. 



Lieut-Oolonel Astley John Onslow Thompson, v.d. He 



was related to a well known family of Australian pioneers, 



and was born at Tenby, Wales, on 3rd January, 1865, being 



■ 

 the eldest son of Astley Thompson of Glyn Abbey, 



Carmarthenshire, High Sheriff of the County, and Udea 

 Thompson, nee Onslow. He received his education at 

 Rugby, and came to Australia when eighteen years of age. 

 At first he was engaged in the Harbours and Rivers Depart- 

 ment, but withdrew from the Government service to follow 

 pastoral work. In 1887 he returned to his native land, 

 and studied dairying in England and irrigation in Northern 

 Italy. He returned to Australia in 1889, and was appointed 

 manager of "Camden Park," which position he filled with 

 conspicuous ability up to the time he left on active service 

 last year. Military matters had always interested him, so 

 that in 1892, with Colonel J. W. Macarthur Onslow he 

 raised the Camden Squadron of the New South Wales 

 Mounted Rifles (now known as Light Horse) and subse- 

 quently rose to the command of the regiment. In 1897 he 

 acted as Adjutant and Paymaster to the detachment of 

 this regiment which went to England to take part in the 

 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, and while there went 

 through a course of training with the Scots Greys at 

 Hounslow and Carabiniers at Aldershot. At the time of 

 the Boer War he did much useful work in the training and 

 organising of one of the contingents that was formed for 

 active service in South Africa. His business capacity was 

 recognised by his election to the Board of the Commercial 

 Banking Company of Sydney Ltd., Colonial Sugar Refining 

 Company, and several others. He was president of the 

 Camden Agricultural Society for several years past, and a 

 generous giver to all charitable objects. Our late member, 

 who was in his fifty-first year, joined us in 1896, but as a 

 country member seldom attended the meetings. 



