▁time , ▁Thom son ▁learned ▁the ▁principles ▁of ▁phot ography ▁and ▁completed ▁his ▁app rent ices hip ▁around ▁ 1 8 5 8 . ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁he ▁also ▁under to ok ▁two ▁years ▁of ▁evening ▁classes ▁at ▁the ▁W att ▁Institution ▁and ▁School ▁of ▁Arts ▁( former ly ▁the ▁Edinburgh ▁School ▁of ▁Arts , ▁later ▁to ▁become ▁Her iot - W att ▁University ). ▁He ▁received ▁the ▁" Att est ation ▁of ▁Prof ic iency " ▁in ▁natural ▁philosophy ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7 , ▁and ▁in ▁junior ▁mathematics ▁and ▁chem istry ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Scottish ▁Society ▁of ▁Arts , ▁but ▁by ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁he ▁had ▁decided ▁to ▁travel ▁to ▁Singapore ▁to ▁join ▁his ▁older ▁brother ▁William , ▁a ▁watch maker ▁and ▁photograph er . ▁ ▁Early ▁travel s ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁Thom son ▁left ▁Edinburgh ▁for ▁Singapore , ▁beginning ▁a ▁ten - year ▁period ▁spent ▁trav elling ▁around ▁the ▁Far ▁East . ▁Initial ly , ▁he ▁established ▁a ▁joint ▁business ▁with ▁William ▁to ▁manufact ure ▁marine ▁chron om eters ▁and ▁optical ▁and ▁na ut ical ▁instruments . ▁He ▁also ▁established ▁a ▁phot ographic ▁studio ▁in ▁Singapore , ▁taking ▁port ra its ▁of ▁European ▁mer ch ants , ▁and ▁he ▁developed ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁local ▁pe op les ▁and ▁places . ▁He ▁travel led ▁extens ively ▁throughout ▁the ▁main land ▁territ ories ▁of