Chevalier John Enoch Thompson (1846-November 29, 1932) was a prominent citizen of Toronto. He was a politician, diplomat, writer, and businessman. He was born in Durham, England in 1846 and moved to Toronto in 1870 with his six other brothers. Two of his other brothers rose to great prominence. Joseph Elijah Thompson was elected to the provincial legislature and became speaker in 1924. Ernest Thompson Seton

Ernest Thompson Seton

Ernest Thompson Seton was a Scots-Canadian who became a noted author, wildlife artist, founder of the Woodcraft Indians, and one of the founding pioneers of the Boy Scouts of America . Seton also influenced Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting...

 (who changed his surname to commemorate his ancestors the Earls of Winton) was a prominent naturalist and one of the best known Canadian writers of the period.

Thompson's primary occupation was in real estate, and he was a prominent developer. He organized the first scheme in Toronto that allowed people to buy property on credit. He was elected to city council in the 1890s, serving one term. He was a long time campaigner against the strict restrictions on Sunday activities that were being imposed in Toronto at the time, such as a ban on tobogganing in city parks on a Sunday. He was also an early advocate for the creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway. In 1908 he ran for a position on the Toronto Board of Control

Toronto Board of Control

Toronto Board of Control was a part of the municipal government of Toronto, Canada from 1904 until its abolition in 1969 and served as the executive committee of Toronto City Council. It consisted of four councillors elected city wide and was presided over by the mayor. Each voter could vote for up...

, but finished with few votes.

His most prominent role was serving as a consul in Toronto for a series of countries, Liberia

Liberia

Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...

, the Kingdom of Hawaii

Kingdom of Hawaii

The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...

, Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

, and finally Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

. He was a Knight Commander of the Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption

Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption

Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption was founded on January 13, 1879 during the presidency of Anthony W. Gardiner. It is awarded for humanitarian work in Liberia, for acts supporting and assisting the Liberian nation and to individuals who have played a prominent role in the emancipation of...

 and a Chevalier of the Spanish Order of Charles III. One of his trips to Spain resulted in the travelogue Seven Weeks in Sunny Spain.

Thompson is also responsible for the Whirlpool Aero Car

Whirlpool Aero Car

The Whirlpool Aero Car or Spanish Aero Car is a cable car located in Niagara Falls, Ontario that transports passengers over a section of the Niagara River referred to as the Niagara Whirlpool.-History:...

 that continues to run at Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls

The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...

. He developed it as a tourist venture, and recruited Spanish engineer Leonardo Torres y Quevedo

Leonardo Torres y Quevedo

Leonardo Torres y Quevedo was a Spanish civil engineer and mathematician of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.- Biography :Torres was born on 28 December 1852, on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, in Santa Cruz de Iguña, Molledo , Spain...

 to design it. The spot the car leaves from is named Thompson Point in his honour.

Among his children were etiquette writer Gertrude Pringle.