Jane Thompson

Jane Thompson (Stimson 1958)

1952-1958; Prefect

Jane is the daughter of Dr Gordon and Freda Stimson (Gates, Head Prefect 1926), who was twice OCA President, and OCA Representative to Council from 1966-1987. Immediately on leaving PLC in 1958, with strong encouragement from Freda, Jane joined the OCA Committee, on which she sat until 1965.

She graduated from Law at UWA in 1963, having studied at Stott’s Business College during holidays. She did her articles at Parker & Parker and passed the West Australian Bar in 1966. She then worked for WAPET in the days soon after Barrow Island’s first oil field was established.

In 1967 Jane married physician and cardiologist Peter Thompson, and they moved to Melbourne for three years, followed by three years in Boston, and a few years in Sweden.

Top Left: Jane Thompson at the 2020 PLC OCA Bursary Honour Board unveiling

Back Row L-R: (House Captains) Kate Fisher, Marion Young (Teasdale), Elizabeth Atahan (Kent), Julie Laurisson (Lukin). Centre Row: Joy Owen (Parnell), El Baker, Annie Parker, Mary Knott (Clarke), Jane Thompson (Stimson) , Pixie Lake (Ockerby). Sitting: Diane Cook (Gribble), Jenny Cook (Abernethy), Dr. Summers, Alison Bevon (Ward) Head Prefect, Jennifer Kaan (Staniland). Kneeling: Elizabeth Dare (McDougall), M. Palmer. Returning to Perth in 1979 with three young children - James (Kindy 1973), Alexandrea (1988) and Angus (Kindy 1980) - Jane worked at Cocks Macnish doing conveyancing, from 1982. She was then at the Law Society of Western Australia, followed by many years at the Legal Practise Board. She also sat on the Parole Board and, while she was part-time, there were many long days with hearings running late. Freda stepped in, when needed, to help look after Jane’s young family.

Whenever she was in Perth, Jane reconnected with the OCA. She was on Committee in 1958-1965, 1977-1978 and 2002-2003; Vice President from 1978-1980; and President from 1980-1984.

From 1985-1996 she was Membership Secretary and from 1992-1999, like her mother, she was an OCA Representative to Council, where she learnt a lot about education. She retains strong ties to the OCA and to PLC, with her granddaughter Tikky Smith in Year 1.

Today, Jane and Peter enjoy a busy retirement running Thompson Estate in Wilyabrup, and have generously donated their wine for today’s event.