See also

Family of Richard Thornton and Alice Lee

Husband: Richard Thornton

  • Name:

  • Richard Thornton

  • Sex:

  • Male

  • Father:

  • Robert Thornton (1746-1794)

  • Mother:

  • Ellen Lambert ( - )

  • Note 1:

  • Passing Rich. The will of Richard Thornton, of Old Swan Wharf, London bridge, and of Cannonhill, Merton, Surrey, has now been proved in the principal registry. The following are some of the main features : The personality in this country was sworn under £2,800,000. He leaves to his nephew, Thomas Thornton, all his freehold and leasehold estates, and to his nephew, Richard Thornton West, he leaves £300,000, and appoints them residuary legatees. To his sister, Mrs. Simpson, £100,000; to Ellen, wife of Alfred Pulford, £300,000 for life, and then to her husband and children; to Richard Napoleon Lee, £400,000; to Margaret and Elizabeth Lee, each £100,000; to his nieces, Agnes Gibson and Ellen Thornton, each £30,000; to the widow of his deceased nephew, Robert West, £20,000; to his nephews, Richard Thornton and Edmund Thornton, each £10,000; to his nephews, William and Joseph Devey, each £10,000; to his clerks, Joseph Browne and John L. Neall, each £20,000; to his nurse, £1,000; and to each of his other servants, £500. To the Leathersellers' Company, £5,000; Christ's Hospital, £5,000; to Hetherington's Charity for the Blind, £10,000; to the schools at Merton, £10,000; and to the poor of Merton, £1,000. To the schools at Burton and Thornton, £10,000; and to the poor of Thornton, £500. To the twenty-four following institutions, each £200 — namely, St. Thomas's, St. Guy's, Bethlehem, St. Luke's, Orthopaedic, Magdalen, St. Marks, Incurables, Dreadnought, Consumption, Victoria Park, City of London Truss, Deaf and Dumb, Blind, Asylum for Idiots, Merchant Seamen's Orphan, London Orphan, Infant Orphan, British Orphan, Female Orphan, Fatherless Children, Ladies' Charity School, St. Ann's, National Benevolent, and National Lifeboat Institutions.

    Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 156, 28 December 1865, Page 3

    Source: http://www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/

     

    Richard Thornton, a London banker, whose father was one of the first directors and founders of Lloyd's Bank, purchased Cannon Hill House and Park after 1854. He took a great interest in all branches of the village life, especially in the day and Sunday schools. He was often to be seen driving his white cob and chaise, and would give the villagers a lift if they happened to be going his way. On Christmas Eve those who lived in this part of Merton were regaled with a mug of ale, a mincepie, and two and sixpence, and children a shilling and a mincepie.

    In the park was a fine herd of black bullocks, some of which were sold to butchers for Christmas beef. A prime baron of beef was always selected for Richard Thornton's own table. After his death his sister and housekeeper lived here for a few years. The estate then passed to a nephew, who had the old house pulled down and used the park and woods adjoining for shooting.

    From: REMINISCENCES OF OLD MERTON by W. H. CHAMBERLAIN, LONDON: MITCHELL HUGHES AND CLARKE, 1925

    http://www.markpepall.plus.com/e321.htm

     

    Richard Thornton West inherited over a million pounds from his uncle Richard Thornton who, it is believed, had made a fortune by blockade running in the Napoleonic wars.

    http://www.exeter.ac.uk/grounds1969/ch3.html

     

    Mr. Richard Thornton, a well-known merchant in London, has recently erected and endowed, at a cost of 15,000l, some commodious schools for the parishes of Burton and Thornton, in Lonsdale, co. Westmorland, as a benefaction to the place of his nativity.

    Gentleman's Magazine, 1854

     

    See also:

    'Parishes: Merton', A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 (1912), pp. 64-8. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=43032

    WG Hoskins, Richard Thornton A Victorian Millionaire, History Today, Volume XII, 8 (1962) 574-580

  • Note 2:

  • 26 July 1865. The Will of Richard Thornton late of Old Swan Wharf London Bridge in the City of London and of Cannon Hill near Merton in the County of Surrey Esquire deceased who died 20 June 1865 at Cannon Hill aforesaid was proved at the Principal Registry by the oaths of Thomas Thornton of Old Swan Wharf aforesaid Esquire and Richard Thornton West of Old Swan Wharf aforesaid Esquire the Nephews Richard Napoleon Lee of the Middle Temple in the County of Middlesex Barrister at Law and Alfred Pulford of 65 St James Street Piccadilly in the County of Middlesex aforesaid Army Tailor four of the Executors. Effects under £2,800,000.

  • Birth:

  • 1776

  • Burton Village, Thornton, Yorkshire

  • Baptism:

  • 13 Oct 1776 (age 0)

  • Thornton In Lonsdale, Yorkshire

  • Residence:

  •  

  • Old Swan Wharf, London Bridge, & Cannon Hill, Merton, Surrey

  • Census (1):

  • 1841 (age 64-65)

  • Independent, Cannon Hill House, Merton

  • Census (2):

  • 1851 (age 74-75)

  • East India Merchant, Cannon Hill House, Merton, Surrey (unmarried)

  • Occupation:

  • 1853 (age 76-77)

  • Chairman of the Portuguese Bondholders' Committee

  • Census (3):

  • 1861 (age 84-85)

  • East India Merchant, Cannon Hill House, Merton, Surrey (unmarried)

  • Death fact:

  • 1865 (age 88-89)

  • 1865 Jun Qtr, Croydon, 2a/132

  • Death:

  • 24 Jun 1865 (age 88-89)

  • Merton, Surrey

  • Probate:

  • 26 Jul 1865

  • Probate (PR) to Emma Thornton, Richard Thornton West, Richard Napoleon Thornton (herein called Richard Napoleon Lee) and Alfred Pulford

Wife: Alice Lee

  • Name:

  • Alice Lee

  • Sex:

  • Female

  • Father:

  • -

  • Mother:

  • -

  • Birth:

  • c. 1811

  •  

  • Census:

  • 1841 (age 29-30)

  • South Island Place, Lambeth St Mary

Child 1: Ellen (Lee) Thornton

  • Name:

  • Ellen (Lee) Thornton

  • Sex:

  • Female

  • Spouse:

  • Alfred Pulford (1823-1896)

  • Children:

  • Ellen Sophia Pulford (1851-1891)

  •  

  • Alfred Pulford (1854-1896)

  •  

  • Alice Pulford (1855-1858)

  •  

  • Emily Pulford (1857-1941)

  •  

  • Harry Elliott Pulford (1860-1923)

  •  

  • Eliza Marion Pulford (1864-1909)

  •  

  • Janet Maude Pulford (1866-1961)

  • Note:

  • Born to Alice Lee. 1841 Census of Brixton shows her at South Island Place with 2 sisters and Richard Napoleon. Book called History of Raynes Park states that Richard Thornton had an irregular establishment, and she was the product of this. When she married Alfred Pulford, she gave the name of the father on the certificate as Richard Thornton.

    Source: Pulfords Family Genealogy Page, http://www.pulfords.org.uk

  • Birth:

  • 14 Dec 1825

  • Marylebone, Middlesex

  • Census:

  • 1841 (age 15-16)

  • Living with mother, Alice Lee (Ellen Lee)

  • Will:

  • 1865 (age 39-40)

  • £300, 000 for life in will of Richard Thornton

  • Death fact:

  • 1888 (age 62-63)

  • 1888 Mar Qtr, Tonbridge, 2a/440 (aged 62)

  • Death:

  • 9 Mar 1888 (age 62)

  • Tonbridge, Kent

Child 2: Margaret Lee

  • Name:

  • Margaret Lee

  • Sex:

  • Female

  • Birth:

  • c. 1828

  • Middlesex

  • Census (1):

  • 1841 (age 12-13)

  • Living with mother, Alice Lee

  • Census (2):

  • 1861 (age 32-33)

  • Living with sister Ellen & Alfred Pulford, unmarried

  • Will:

  • 1865 (age 36-37)

  • £100, 000 in will of Richard Thornton

Child 3: Richard Napoleon (Lee) Thornton

  • Name:

  • Richard Napoleon (Lee) Thornton

  • Sex:

  • Male

  • Spouse (1):

  • Margaret James (c. 1835-bef1867)

  • Spouse (2):

  • Ellen Ann Jones (1846-1881)

  • Children:

  • Richard Thornton Thornton (1853-1928)

  •  

  • Albert James Thornton (1856-1931)

  •  

  • Walter Alfred Thornton (1858-1915)

  •  

  • Margaret Ellen Thornton (1860-1958)

  • Note 1 (shared):

  • While at St Johns College, Oxford, he was known as Dick Lee. Supposedly the illegitimate son of Richard Thornton, he adopted the surname Thornton in 1865 in compliance with a condition in Richard Thornton's will - see below.

     

    Change of name:

    Whitehall, August 1, 1865. The Queen has been pleased to grant unto Richard Napoleon Lee, of the Middle Temple, London, Esquire, Barrister-at-Law, Her Royal licence and authority that he may, in compliance with a condition contained in the last will and testament of Richard Thornton, late of Old Swan Wharf, London Bridge, in the city of London, and of Cannon Hill, near Merton, in the county of

    Surrey, Esquire, deceased, take and henceforth use the surname of Thornton, instead of that of

    Lee.

    London Gazette, 4.8.1865

     

    Surrey Cricket Club: Probably played in match vs. MCC at Kennington Oval on 22.7.1852, as R.N.Lee. Scored 1 run.

    See: http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/0/957.html

  • Note 2:

  • 15 July 1876. The Will of Richard Napoleon Thornton late of Knowle Sidmouth in the County of Devon Barrister-at-Law who died 28 May 1876 at Knowle was proved at the Principal Registry by Alfred Pulford of Rosenau Torquay in the said County Gentleman Richard Gardiner Minshull Jones of 190 Tooley Street Southwark in the County of Surrey Solicitor and Richard Thornton Thornton of Knowle Gentleman three of the Executors. Effects under £200,000. Resworn January 1877 under £250,000.

  • Birth:

  • c. 1833

  • Clerkenwell, Middlesex

  • Residence:

  •  

  • 98 Portland Place, London, W., and Knowle, Sidmouth, Devon

  • Census (1):

  • 1841 (age 7-8)

  • Richard Lee, living with mother, Alice Lee, South Island Place, Lambeth St Mary

  • Census (2):

  • 1851 (age 17-18)

  • Solicitor's general clerk, 14 Rummers Place, Clerkenwell (Richard Lee, unmarried)

  • Education:

  • 19 Mar 1851 (age 17-18)

  • Matric. St Johns Coll, Oxford, aged 18

  • Member:

  • 22 Jul 1852 (age 18-19)

  • Surrey Cricket Club: Probably played in match vs. MCC

  • Occupation (1):

  • 19 Sep 1859 (age 25-26)

  • Steward, Bermondsey (on marriage cert.)

  • Will:

  • 1865 (age 31-32)

  • £400, 000 in will of Richard Thornton

  • Occupation (2):

  • 11 Jul 1867 (age 33-34)

  • Barrister at law, Kentish Town (on marriage cert.)

  • Occupation (3):

  • 9 Jul 1874 (age 40-41)

  • Esquire, of Sidmouth, appointed as Income Tax Commissioner for Devon (L.Gazette 10.7.1874)

  • Death fact:

  • 1876 (age 42-43)

  • 1876 Jun Qtr, Honiton, 5b/26 (aged 43)

  • Death:

  • 28 May 1876 (age 42-43)

  • Knowle, Sidmouth, Devon

  • Probate:

  • 15 Jul 1876

  • Probate at PR to Albert Pulford, Richard Gardiner Minshull Jones, and Richard Thornton Thornton

Child 4: Elizabeth Lee

  • Name:

  • Elizabeth Lee

  • Sex:

  • Female

  • Birth:

  • c. 1836

  • Middlesex

  • Census (1):

  • 1841 (age 4-5)

  • Living with mother, Alice Lee

  • Census (2):

  • 1861 (age 24-25)

  • Living with sister Ellen & Alfred Pulford, unmarried

  • Will:

  • 1865 (age 28-29)

  • £100, 000 in will of Richard Thornton

Note on Husband: Richard Thornton (1)

Passing Rich. The will of Richard Thornton, of Old Swan Wharf, London bridge, and of Cannonhill, Merton, Surrey, has now been proved in the principal registry. The following are some of the main features : The personality in this country was sworn under £2,800,000. He leaves to his nephew, Thomas Thornton, all his freehold and leasehold estates, and to his nephew, Richard Thornton West, he leaves £300,000, and appoints them residuary legatees. To his sister, Mrs. Simpson, £100,000; to Ellen, wife of Alfred Pulford, £300,000 for life, and then to her husband and children; to Richard Napoleon Lee, £400,000; to Margaret and Elizabeth Lee, each £100,000; to his nieces, Agnes Gibson and Ellen Thornton, each £30,000; to the widow of his deceased nephew, Robert West, £20,000; to his nephews, Richard Thornton and Edmund Thornton, each £10,000; to his nephews, William and Joseph Devey, each £10,000; to his clerks, Joseph Browne and John L. Neall, each £20,000; to his nurse, £1,000; and to each of his other servants, £500. To the Leathersellers' Company, £5,000; Christ's Hospital, £5,000; to Hetherington's Charity for the Blind, £10,000; to the schools at Merton, £10,000; and to the poor of Merton, £1,000. To the schools at Burton and Thornton, £10,000; and to the poor of Thornton, £500. To the twenty-four following institutions, each £200 — namely, St. Thomas's, St. Guy's, Bethlehem, St. Luke's, Orthopaedic, Magdalen, St. Marks, Incurables, Dreadnought, Consumption, Victoria Park, City of London Truss, Deaf and Dumb, Blind, Asylum for Idiots, Merchant Seamen's Orphan, London Orphan, Infant Orphan, British Orphan, Female Orphan, Fatherless Children, Ladies' Charity School, St. Ann's, National Benevolent, and National Lifeboat Institutions.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 156, 28 December 1865, Page 3

Source: http://www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/

 

Richard Thornton, a London banker, whose father was one of the first directors and founders of Lloyd's Bank, purchased Cannon Hill House and Park after 1854. He took a great interest in all branches of the village life, especially in the day and Sunday schools. He was often to be seen driving his white cob and chaise, and would give the villagers a lift if they happened to be going his way. On Christmas Eve those who lived in this part of Merton were regaled with a mug of ale, a mincepie, and two and sixpence, and children a shilling and a mincepie.

In the park was a fine herd of black bullocks, some of which were sold to butchers for Christmas beef. A prime baron of beef was always selected for Richard Thornton's own table. After his death his sister and housekeeper lived here for a few years. The estate then passed to a nephew, who had the old house pulled down and used the park and woods adjoining for shooting.

From: REMINISCENCES OF OLD MERTON by W. H. CHAMBERLAIN, LONDON: MITCHELL HUGHES AND CLARKE, 1925

http://www.markpepall.plus.com/e321.htm

 

Richard Thornton West inherited over a million pounds from his uncle Richard Thornton who, it is believed, had made a fortune by blockade running in the Napoleonic wars.

http://www.exeter.ac.uk/grounds1969/ch3.html

 

Mr. Richard Thornton, a well-known merchant in London, has recently erected and endowed, at a cost of 15,000l, some commodious schools for the parishes of Burton and Thornton, in Lonsdale, co. Westmorland, as a benefaction to the place of his nativity.

Gentleman's Magazine, 1854

 

See also:

'Parishes: Merton', A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 (1912), pp. 64-8. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=43032

WG Hoskins, Richard Thornton A Victorian Millionaire, History Today, Volume XII, 8 (1962) 574-580

Note on Husband: Richard Thornton (2)

26 July 1865. The Will of Richard Thornton late of Old Swan Wharf London Bridge in the City of London and of Cannon Hill near Merton in the County of Surrey Esquire deceased who died 20 June 1865 at Cannon Hill aforesaid was proved at the Principal Registry by the oaths of Thomas Thornton of Old Swan Wharf aforesaid Esquire and Richard Thornton West of Old Swan Wharf aforesaid Esquire the Nephews Richard Napoleon Lee of the Middle Temple in the County of Middlesex Barrister at Law and Alfred Pulford of 65 St James Street Piccadilly in the County of Middlesex aforesaid Army Tailor four of the Executors. Effects under £2,800,000.

Note on Child 1: Ellen (Lee) Thornton

Born to Alice Lee. 1841 Census of Brixton shows her at South Island Place with 2 sisters and Richard Napoleon. Book called History of Raynes Park states that Richard Thornton had an irregular establishment, and she was the product of this. When she married Alfred Pulford, she gave the name of the father on the certificate as Richard Thornton.

Source: Pulfords Family Genealogy Page, http://www.pulfords.org.uk

Note on Child 3: Richard Napoleon (Lee) Thornton (1) - shared note

While at St Johns College, Oxford, he was known as Dick Lee. Supposedly the illegitimate son of Richard Thornton, he adopted the surname Thornton in 1865 in compliance with a condition in Richard Thornton's will - see below.

 

Change of name:

Whitehall, August 1, 1865. The Queen has been pleased to grant unto Richard Napoleon Lee, of the Middle Temple, London, Esquire, Barrister-at-Law, Her Royal licence and authority that he may, in compliance with a condition contained in the last will and testament of Richard Thornton, late of Old Swan Wharf, London Bridge, in the city of London, and of Cannon Hill, near Merton, in the county of

Surrey, Esquire, deceased, take and henceforth use the surname of Thornton, instead of that of

Lee.

London Gazette, 4.8.1865

 

Surrey Cricket Club: Probably played in match vs. MCC at Kennington Oval on 22.7.1852, as R.N.Lee. Scored 1 run.

See: http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/0/957.html

Note on Child 3: Richard Napoleon (Lee) Thornton (2)

15 July 1876. The Will of Richard Napoleon Thornton late of Knowle Sidmouth in the County of Devon Barrister-at-Law who died 28 May 1876 at Knowle was proved at the Principal Registry by Alfred Pulford of Rosenau Torquay in the said County Gentleman Richard Gardiner Minshull Jones of 190 Tooley Street Southwark in the County of Surrey Solicitor and Richard Thornton Thornton of Knowle Gentleman three of the Executors. Effects under £200,000. Resworn January 1877 under £250,000.