Thomas Richard Thornton born Sheburn, Durham 1856

[2zpool]

There is a baptism of Thomas Richard Thornton, of Sherburn Hill, son of William and Mary Thornton in Thornley St. Bartholomew 18 Jan 1853.

And another:  3 Sep 1876 Jane Thornton, of Wheatley Hill, born 18 Dec 1875, daughter of Thomas & Jane Thornton

Hartlepool St Paul:  18 Sept 1887 Frederick Robson Thornton, of 141 Alma Street, son of Thomas Richard Thornton and Jane, marine engineer, also baptised that day was son John William.

There was another son William Robson Thornton also bapt 1876 (born 1874) in Thornley.  I suspect Jane's maiden name is Robson.

Other baptism while on Alma Street were Dora Beatrice , 1889, and Elizabeth Ellen, 1885.

The only difference I see is the occupation of Thomas Richard--mining engineer and marine engineer.

Monk Hesleden St. Mary's marriage:  16 Jun 1873 Thomas Thornton, full age, of Hutton Henry, son of William Thornton, married Jane Robson, age 20, of Thornley, daughter of William Robson
 


Janis

[Bilham]

Dear all

I have definitely hit a rich seam here!! Thank-you all for your contributions which I will spend the weekend going through.

This RootsChat is so impressive - where do you get all your info from!

By the way, the Ancestry entry is me!

Graham/Bilham

[BoroGenes]

There is a Thomas Thornton aged 20, a boarder, occupation engineer in rolling mills, born in Spennymoor Durham - 1871 Durham Census. I cannot find any other Thomas Thornton's in Durham for this census around this age.

Also there is a Thomas Thornton Grandson aged 2 born in Middle Rainton, Durham 1851 Census.

From the thread it looks as though Thomas Richard Thornton left his first wife Jane Robson for Evangeline?

[Bilham]

Thanks BoroGenes

I'll have a check.  He did indeed leave his first wife Jane - but he failed to divorce her before he married Evangeline! He was fined for bigamy and they then got married legally in Sheffield some years later. The newspaper cuttings I found made interesting reading! The fascinating bit I'm left trying to research is how hi second wife Eva came to travel to South Shields from South Wales to meet him??

Bilham

[BoroGenes]

Many thanks for the information.

If you find further details on this side of the family I would be very interested.

[BoroGenes]

Thomas Richard Thornton's daughter Mary Ann Thornton married John Brown, a boilersmith in Hartlepool on 29 January 1900. On the marriage certificate Thomas Richard Thornton is described as an Engineer. Mary Ann and John Brown appear in the 1901 Durham Census living in Hartlepool and now have a son William Brown, aged 7 months.

[BoroGenes]

Further information on Evangaline Thornton.

She was originally married to Alfred Jenkins (born Swansea 1858) and her father was William Laugharne (born Pembroke Dock 1821, a Master Mariner, Captain on the "Valant" sailing  out of Cardiff.

Information from a Genes Reunited family tree.

[BoroGenes]

The final piece of the jigsaw. See the Northern Echo (Darlington, England) Wednesday, November 27 1889) This gives a report of the trial for bigamy of Thomas Richard Thornton and the full story of how Evangeline came to the north east from Swansea.

[Bilham]

Hi

You couldn't by any chance let me have a copy of the article could you?

Graham