David Thomson was born on 8 August 1880, probably in Scotland. He was articled to Campbell Douglas (1828-1910) in Glasgow from 1895 to 1900 during which time he also attended Glasgow School of Art. Having completed his articles he worked as assistant to George Penrose Kennedy Young (1858-1933) in Perth from 1901 to 1903; to Clayton & Black in Brighton, Sussex from 1903 to c.1906; and to Edwin Otto Sachs (1870-1919) from c.1906 to March 1909.
Thomson commenced independent practice as an architect at 13 Victoria Street, Westminster, London in 1909. In 1910-11 was briefly in partnership with Christopher Bristow as Thomson & Bristow. In 1910 they were placed Equal Second in a competition to design the Central Library in Blackpool. Their designs are illustrated in British Competitions in Architecture vol. 3, no. 26, November 1909 (pp. 44-45).
In 1911 Thomson began working at H.M. Office of Works in London initially as an assistant but subsequently as senior architect.
Thomson was elected a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (LRIBA) in 1911 and Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1920.
His address was given as 7 Cranwich Road, Stamford Hill, London and 13 Victoria Street, London in 1911 and 1914; The Gables, Cheam Common Road, Worcester Park, Surrey in 1920 and 1926; and 25 Attimore Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire in 1939. He died on 20 October 1957.
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001