William Thom (1798–1848), Weaver Poet: The London Years

Abstract: William Thom (1798–1848) had been a weaver for over thirty years when, in 1844, he travelled from Inverurie to London to prepare a second edition of Rhymes and Recollections of a Hand-loom Weaver . In London, he mixed in interweaving social circles which included other Scots, middle-class radicals, literary people and Chartists. It has been claimed that this social success went to his head, and excessive drinking led to his untimely death four years later. I argue that the deterioration in his health in London was caused by consumption, as stated on his death certificate. Substantial donations were collected for Thom by expatriate Scots in India and America and it has been possible to explore these connections. Finally, I suggest that his poetry deserves more critical attention and investigation within the milieu of Scottish working-class poets.