Thompson was born in the late middle ages, not long after World War II. Little is known about his father Thomp. Thompson's first years as a professional musician was spent playing with the nuns at the Fairport Convent. There he wrote his first classic song, "A sailor's life", inspired by an earlier job. This was later famously covered by Rod Stewart. Other important tunes from this period include "Peter Gabriel's Hall" and "Meet me in Leeds."