Once in Manchester, Thomas realised that if he was going to make his
mark as a Sculptor, he would have to make contacts and get his name
known. To this end, he became a member of:
- The Royal Society of British Artists
- The Imperial Arts League (now The Artists League of Great Britain).
In November 1902, he was awarded the Honorary Associateship of the Royal College of Art.
Thomas also played a prominent role in the lavish decoration for the Royal visit to Manchester by the Prince and Princess of Wales in March 1902.
From 1900 onwards, he was extremely busy with his students at the College and the requests that were coming in for his work.
On his move to London in 1905, joining groups of artists was paramount as Sculpture was now his full-time job. He became a member of many groups, large and small, and on occasions was asked to be a guest speaker at various events. Below are listed some of the major ones, in which he took a very active role. To give an idea of his very full life, Thomas was:
- A Fellow and Honorary Treasurer of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
- Honorary Sculptor Member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours
- Honorary Associate of the Royal College of Art
- Elected Member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1910, and Hon. Secretary in 1913 under the Presidencies of Sir Alfred East and Frank Brangwyn. A position he held until the end of WW2.
- The Savage Club from 1916 onwards.
- Chairman of the British Empire Society of Arts 1930-1938
- Associate Professor of Sculpture at the Royal College of Art 1904
- Representative of the Royal Society of British Sculptors on the Council of the British school in Rome 1937
- Member of the Committee of the War relief Exhibition at the Royal Academy 1915
- Served on the Council of the Royal British Sculptors under the Presidencies of Sir Thomas Brock, W R Colton, W Reynolds-Stephens, Sir W Reid Dick, Gilbert Bayes
- Steward of the Artists General Benevolent Institution (AGBI) representing the Royal Society of British Artists 1914
- Served on the Council of the Artists General Benevolent Institution for over 20 years (from 1921)
- Trustee representing the AGBI of the Francis Reckitt convalescent home from 1932