Who lived at "Oaklands" - Croydon area?

[Jamez]

LizzieL

My apologies for not responding sooner to your posts.  I am only now getting the time to digest the information you have provided.  All very much appreciated.

This correspondence addressed to Major Thornton came onto the market in the mid 1990`s.  It contained approximately 160 envelopes all with pen & ink illustrations from 1864 - 1886.  Some of them were addressed to Maj. Thornton at Victoria Park Dover 1870 -1871. 

I was looking through my file and found a note i made about a Clementina Thornton of Chobham Lodge, Park Hill Rise, Croydon in the 1881 census.  She was aged 60 and not married.  I suppose this lady might be another source for this correspondence.

James   

[LizzieL]

Found your Clementina on 1881 census, age 60 gives a birth year around 1821 and birthplace given as Middlesex. Best match on baptism is Clementina dau of John and Eliza Thornton of Grafton street, bapt 2 Sep 1820 at St Georges Hanover square. Father's occupation gentleman.
When I first saw the pictures I thought they would have been done by a female relative (sister, cousin, daughter). The long period probably eliminates a male child, who would probably have given up after a couple of years. The start date of at least  1864 probably eliminates a child unless he had another daughter earlier than the one I found on the 1871 census. He was born in 1825, could have married in late 1840's and had a daughter in her early teens by 1864

Clementina could be a cousin, but haven't found a sister with that name only the Eveline on my earlier post.

[ShaunJ]

Looking through the 1878 PO Directory of Surrey, there are some other possibilities:

James Hall lived at Oaklands in Kenley

Frederick Wm Home or Hume lived at Oaklands, Ashburton Road, Croydon

John Thompson Burnell lived at Oaklands, Palace Road, Lower Norwood

John Jones lived at Oaklands, Canterbury Gro, Lower Norwood

Mrs Coleman lived at Oaklands, Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood

John Townley Smith lived at Oaklands, Dulwich Wood Park, Upper Norwood

Daniel E Goddard lived at Oaklands, Harcourt Road, Wallington

Robert Whittingham lived at 1 Oaklands, Park Hill Road, Croydon

[LizzieL]

Park Hill Road and Ashburton road wouldn't be far from East Croydon. The postmark on one of the envelopes said Croydon E. I suspect the other addresses would have their own more local (non-Croydon) postmarks in those days.

I've found Frederick Hume on 1881 census, he is aged 49, his wife Charlotte is 56. A Frederick William Hume married a Charlotte Cowper on 12 June 1862 at St Barnabas in Kensington. He was a bachelor occ gentleman, she was a spinster, both full age. Can't see a Thornton connection.

[ShaunJ]

The postmark on one of the envelopes said Croydon E.

Others say Croydon A and Croydon D.

[LizzieL]

I've found the death of the Major's mother Hannah Isabella Cornelia reg Q1 1859 at St James, Westminster. There is also probate granted to Charles Edmund Thornton of Omagh Ireland as nearest in kin to the late Mrs Hannah Isabella Cornelia Halkett Thornton of 1 Belle Vue Terrace Edinburgh (spouse of William Thomas Thornton) who died on 18 Jan 1859 at 4, St James's Place, Westminster. So the major was possibly serving in Ireland when his mother died. As it says spouse and not widow, we assume the Major's father was still alive in 1859. Halkett may have been the Major's mother's maiden name.

As to postmarks, the A and D are under the word Croydon and may identify the stamp used for cancellation. The "E" I referred to is after the word Croydon, implying Croydon East. Envelope with the circus drawings. 

[ShaunJ]

The "E" I referred to is after the word Croydon, implying Croydon East.

Ah yes I see what you mean. The 1885 one was posted in East Croydon.

[LizzieL]

The Major's parents marriage. William Thomas Thornton to Hannah Isabella Cordelia Halkitt Craigie (so Halki(e)tt yet another Christian name) 7 June 1824 Speldhurst, Kent. Craigie sounds of Scottish origin.

[ShaunJ]

This is a link to an Ancestry image for those with a sub - Charles Edmund Thornton's detailed army "statement of services". http://tinyurl.com/ng3j6h6

He was only with the 7th Fusiliers for 2 years - he was put on the unattached list in March 1859 per the Gazette

Here also is a list of similar envelopes on the Bath Postal Museum website. Unfortunatley I haven't been able to view the images http://www.bathpostalmuseum.co.uk/search-result.html?search=major+thornton&id=40