Alexander Thom (almanac editor)

He was born at Findhorn in Moray, the son of the writer and journalist Walter Thom. He was educated at the High School, Edinburgh, and went to Dublin at age 20 to assist his father in the management of the Dublin Journal. On his father's death he obtained, through the influence of Sir Robert Peel, the contract for printing for the post office in Ireland. In 1838 he obtained the contract for the printing for all royal commissions in Ireland, and in 1876 was appointed to the post of Queen's Printer for Ireland.{{cite DNB|wstitle=Thom, Alexander}}

In 1844 Thom founded the work for which he is known, the Irish Almanac and Official Directory, which became a leader in its field. It incorporated statistics relating to Ireland. Thom supervised its publication for over 30 years, passing the copyright to his son-in-law Frederick Pilkington in 1876.{{ODNBweb|id=27189|title=Thom, Alexander|first=C. J.|last=Benson}} "Thom's Directory" was revised annually; in 1960 it was split into Thom's Dublin Street Directory and Thom's Commercial Directory, revised in alternate years until 2012.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thoms.ie/content/index.asp|title=Thoms Commercial and Street Directories - Thoms.ie|date=11 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911225406/http://www.thoms.ie/content/index.asp|archive-date=11 September 2019}} James Joyce relied heavily on the 1904 edition when writing Ulysses.{{cite journal|last=Ó Gráda|first=Cormac|date=Summer 2004|title=Lost in Little Jerusalem: Leopold Bloom and Irish Jewry |jstor=3831802|journal=Journal of Modern Literature|volume=27|issue=4|pages=17–26 : 23|doi=10.2979/JML.2004.27.4.17}}

In 1860 he published for free distribution A Collection of Tracts and Treatises illustrative of the Natural History, Antiquities, and the Political and Social State of Ireland, two volumes{{cite book|author=James Hewitt, 4th Viscount Lifford|title=A collection of tracts and treatises illustrative of the natural history, antiquities, and the political and social state of Ireland: at various periods prior to the present century (I)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=24RJAAAAMAAJ|year=1860|publisher=Reprinted by A. Thom|author-link=James Hewitt, 4th Viscount Lifford}}{{cite book|author=James Hewitt, 4th Viscount Lifford|title=A collection of tracts and treatises illustrative of the natural history, antiquities, and the political and social state of Ireland: at various periods prior to the present century (II)|url=https://archive.org/details/acollectiontrac01spengoog|access-date=28 April 2012|year=1861|publisher=Reprinted by A. Thom}} which contain reprints of writers on Irish affairs in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Included are works of James Ware, Edmund Spenser, Sir John Davies, William Petty, George Berkeley, and others such as Gerard Boate, Thomas Prior and Arthur Dobbs.

In 1878, during a printers' strike in Dublin, Thom sent work to Scotland. The resulting publicity brought the issue to the attention of the Westminster Parliament.{{cite book|author1=Laurel Brake|author2=Marysa Demoor|title=Dictionary of Nineteenth-Century Journalism in Great Britain and Ireland|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qVrUTUelE6YC&pg=PA623|year=2009|publisher=Academia Press|isbn=978-90-382-1340-8|page=623}}

Thom, who was twice married, died at his residence, Donnycarney House, near Dublin, on 22 December 1879.{{cite web |title=Our Lady of Consolation, Donnycarney Church |url=https://www.donnycarneyparish.ie/history.html |website=www.donnycarneyparish.ie |access-date=12 October 2021}}

• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory with the Post Office Dublin City and County Directory, 4th Annual Publication (1847) - (Alexander Thom) (village listings for South Dublin County){{Cite web|url=http://source.southdublinlibraries.ie/handle/10599/5071|title=Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory with Post Office Dublin City and County Directory for the year 1847|first=n/a|last=n/a|date=12 February 1847|website=source.southdublinlibraries.ie|access-date=19 July 2020|archive-date=19 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719124542/http://source.southdublinlibraries.ie/handle/10599/5071|url-status=live}}
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory with the Post Office Dublin City and County Directory, 7th Annual Publication (1850) - (Alexander Thom){{Cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044021009170&view=1up&seq=1|title=Thom's directory of Ireland. 1850.|website=HathiTrust|access-date=28 May 2020|archive-date=26 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926231130/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044021009170&view=1up&seq=1|url-status=live}} - Hathitrust
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory with the Post Office Dublin City and County Directory, 8th Annual Publication (1851) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web|title=Thom's Directory 1851 (Google Books)|year=1851|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ncs_AQAAMAAJ&q=Thom%27s+directory|access-date=12 February 2021|archive-date=26 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926231051/https://books.google.com/books?id=ncs_AQAAMAAJ&q=Thom%27s+directory|url-status=live}} - Google Books
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory with the Post Office Dublin City and County Directory, 9th Annual Publication (1852) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web|title=Thom's Directory 1852 (Google Books)|year=1852|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=518NAAAAYAAJ&pg=PT33|access-date=28 September 2020|archive-date=26 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926231132/https://books.google.com/books?id=518NAAAAYAAJ&pg=PT33|url-status=live}} - Google Books
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory with the Post Office Dublin City and County Directory, 14th Annual Publication (1857) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web|title=Thom's Directory 1857 (Google Books)|year=1857|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BXc9AAAAcAAJ&q=thom%27s+directory|access-date=12 February 2021|archive-date=26 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926231047/https://books.google.com/books?id=BXc9AAAAcAAJ&q=thom%27s+directory|url-status=live}} - Google Books
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory with the Post Office Dublin City and County Directory, 16th Annual Publication (1859) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web|title = Thom's Directory 1859 (Google Books)|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=5E1efzZ593QC&q=Thom%27s+irish+almanac|last1 = Thom|first1 = Alexander|year = 1859|access-date = 12 February 2021|archive-date = 26 September 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210926231123/https://books.google.com/books?id=5E1efzZ593QC&q=Thom%27s+irish+almanac|url-status = live}} - Google Books
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 19th Annual Publication (1862){{cite web |title=Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory with the Post Office Dublin City and County Directory for the Year 1862 |url=http://source.southdublinlibraries.ie/handle/10599/5080 |website=source.southdublinlibraries.ie |access-date=12 October 2021 |language=English |date=1862}}{{cite web |title=Dublin Street Directory, 1862 |url=https://www.libraryireland.com/Dublin-Street-Directory-1862/Home.php |website=www.libraryireland.com |access-date=12 October 2021}}
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 27th Annual Publication (1870) - (Alexander Thom){{Cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924057459178&view=1up&seq=7|title=Thom's directory of Ireland. 1870.|website=HathiTrust|access-date=28 May 2020|archive-date=26 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926231057/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924057459178&view=1up&seq=17|url-status=live}} - Hathitrust
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 28th Annual Publication (1871) - (Alexander Thom){{Cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924057459194&seq=7|title=Thom's directory of Ireland. 1871.|website=HathiTrust|access-date=2 January 2025}} - Hathitrust
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 29th Annual Publication (1872) - (Alexander Thom){{Cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924057459038&seq=7|title=Thom's directory of Ireland. 1872.|website=HathiTrust|access-date=2 January 2025}} - Hathitrust
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 30th Annual Publication (1873) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web|title=Thom's Directory 1873 (Google Books)|year=1873|url=https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=0T09AQAAMAAJ&pg=GBS.PR2&hl=en_GB|access-date=2 January 2025}} - Google Books
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 31st Annual Publication (1874) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web|title=Thom's Directory 1874 (Google Books)|year=1874|url=https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=_z89AQAAMAAJ&pg=GBS.PP4&hl=en_GB|access-date=2 January 2025}} - Google Books
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 32nd Annual Publication (1875) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web|title=Thom's Directory 1875 (HathiTrust)|year=1875|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924057459012&seq=3|access-date=2 January 2025}} - HathiTrust
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 33rd Annual Publication (1876) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web|title=Thom's Directory 1876 (Google Books)|year=1876|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o0o9AQAAMAAJ|access-date=28 September 2020|archive-date=26 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926231106/https://books.google.com/books?id=o0o9AQAAMAAJ|url-status=live}} - Google Books
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 34th Annual Publication (1877) - (Alexander Thom){{Cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924057458923&seq=5|title=Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for the Year 1877|access-date=3 January 2025}} - HathiTrust
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 34th Annual Publication (1877) - (Alexander Thom) (village descriptions and listings for the South Dublin County area){{Cite web|url=http://source.southdublinlibraries.ie/handle/10599/5090|title=Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for the Year 1877|first=n/a|last=n/a|date=12 February 1877|website=source.southdublinlibraries.ie|access-date=28 May 2020|archive-date=4 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204205638/http://source.southdublinlibraries.ie/handle/10599/5090|url-status=live}}
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 35th Annual Publication (1878) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web|title=Thom's Directory 1878 (Google Books)|year=1878|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dkA9AQAAMAAJ&q=Thom%27s+directory|access-date=12 February 2021|archive-date=26 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926231131/https://books.google.com/books?id=dkA9AQAAMAAJ&q=Thom%27s+directory|url-status=live}} - Google Books
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 36th Annual Publication (1879) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web|title=Thom's Directory 1879 (HathiTrust)|year=1879|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924057458998&seq=5|access-date=3 January 2025}} - HathiTrust
• Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 37th Annual Publication (1880) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web|title=Thom's Directory 1880 (HathiTrust)|year=1880|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924057459061&seq=7|access-date=3 January 2025}} - HathiTrust
• Thom's Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 38th Annual Publication (1881) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web |title=Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |url=https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=wkI9AQAAMAAJ&pg=GBS.PP8&hl=en_GB |access-date=3 January 2025 |language=en |date=1881}} - Google Books
• Thom's Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 40th Annual Publication (1883) - (Alexander Thom){{cite web |title=Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jkA9AQAAMAAJ |access-date=19 October 2022 |language=en |date=1883}} - Google Books
• Thom's Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 41st Annual Publication (1884) {{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/vol1884thomsoffi00unse|title=Vol. 1884 : Thom's official directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|publisher=A. Thom|via=Internet Archive}} - Internet Archive

• Isaac Slater

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;Attribution

{{DNB|wstitle=Thom, Alexander}}

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• {{Find a Grave|36822917}}
• [https://dx.doi.org/10.7925/drs1.ucdlib_33000 Maps of Dublin accompanying Thom's Official Directory, 1874-1898.] A UCD Digital Library Collection.

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Category:1801 births

Category:1879 deaths

Category:19th-century Scottish publishers (people)

Category:19th-century Scottish writers

Category:People from Moray

Category:People educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh

Category:Scottish editors

Category:19th-century Scottish businesspeople