See also
| Husband: | Richard Thornton West (c. 1813-1878) | |
| Wife: | Sarah Bowerman (1836-1902) | |
| Children: | Richard Bowerman West (1865-1900) | |
| Marriage | 20 Oct 1863 | Uffculme, Devon |
| Name: | Richard Thornton West | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Father: | William Ogle West (1781-1853) | |
| Mother: | Margaret Thornton (1778- ) | |
| Birth | c. 1813 | Clapham, Surrey |
| Census | 1851 (age 37-38) | East India Merchant, Streatham Hill, Streatham, Surrey ("son", parents absent) |
| Census | 1861 (age 47-48) | East India Merchant, 9 Streatham Hill, Streatham, Surrey (unmarried) |
| Will | 1865 (age 51-52) | Richard Thornton leaves £300, 000 to his nephew, Richard Thornton West, and appoints him a residuary legatee |
| Census | 1871 (age 57-58) | Retired East India Merchant, Streatham Hall, Cowley Road, Exeter |
| Death fact | 1878 (age 64-65) | 1878 Dec Qtr, Exeter, 5b/81 (aged 65) |
| Death | 29 Nov 1878 (age 64-65) | Streatham Hall, Exeter, Devon |
| Name: | Sarah Bowerman | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Father: | Richard Bowerman (c. 1812-1876) | |
| Mother: | - | |
| Birth | 22 Mar 1836 | Uffculme, Devon |
| Death | 7 Dec 1902 (age 66) | Streatham Hall, Exeter, Devon |
| Name: | Richard Bowerman West | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Birth | 1865 | Streatham Hill, Surrey |
| Birth fact | 1865 (age 0) | GRO Reference: 1865 S Quarter in WANDSWORTH Volume 01D Page 500 |
| Census | 1871 (age 5-6) | Living with parents |
| Death | 8 Aug 1900 (age 34-35) | Streatham Hall, Exeter, Devon |
WEST Richard Thornton Esq., 20 December 1878. The Will of Richard Thornton West late of Streatham Hall St. David's Exeter in the County of Devon Esquire who died 29 November 1878 at Streatham Hall was proved at the Principal Registry by Sarah West of Streatham Hall Widow the Relict Richard John Bowerman of 4 Gray's Inn Square in the County of Middlesex Esquire and Thomas Palmer Eames of Cotley Chard in the County of Somerset Esquire three of the Executors. Personal Estate under £1,000,000.
WEST Richard Thornton Esq., 2 April 1887. The Will of Richard Thornton West late of Streatham Hall St. David's Exeter in the County of Devon Esquire who died 29 November 1878 at Streatham Hall was proved at the Principal Registry by Richard Bowerman West of Streatham Hall Esquire the Son the other Executor. Former Grant Principal Registry December 1878. Personal Estate £1,000,000.
In 1866 a house on the original Duryard Estate, Duryard Lodge, had been sold by the trustees of Samuel Kingdon to Richard Thornton West, an East Indian merchant who had lived for many years in Batavia. Thornton West had 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. Richard Thornton West, whose name is today associated with West Avenue and Thornton Hill in Exeter, had Streatham Hall built on the site of the original Duryard Lodge which was largely pulled down to be replaced by the Victorian Italianate house now known as Reed Hall. It is believed that £80,000 was spent on the house itself and £70,000 on laying out and improving the estate. Thornton West had the grounds laid out and planted by the local branch of the firm of Veitch which was one of the leading horticulturists in the country.
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/grounds1969/ch3.html
The Streatham Estate was situated in the ancient area of Duryard. From Saxon times this was a royal hunting ground here - in fact Duryard means 'deer park'. Around about 1700, the city sold off large parts of Duryard for what would be large private houses. In 1867, the Exeter millionaire, Richard Thornton West, a retired East India merchant purchased some land on the hill in Duryard and built Streatham Hall. It was this estate that was purchased to serve as the centre of Exeter University.
http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/EM/university.html
WEST Sarah of Streatham Hall Exeter widow died 7 December 1902. Probate London 22 January 1903 to Richard John Bowerman solicitor and Thomas Deane Eames and Richard Thornton esquires. Effects £324054 2s. 3d. Resworn November 1903 £432216 11s. 4d.