Thornton family Preston Lancs

[keith77]

Hi i am in need of help trying to trace my Thornton descendents i have little but some information
they were strong Catholics attended stoneyhurst college and the mount which is now st Marys. they were some kind of wine merchants having something to do with Thornton & France ltd( the only thing i find with this is the sale to Matthew Brown Brewries....who is also my ggg grandfather
sorry of track little i know
James Thornton b1812? married Helen Sutcliffe
Thomas N Thornton b1836 married Margaret Walker
is Thomas N J Thornton b1870 married Helen Brown
looking for any help information regarding James parents sibling etc and if anyone has any information about Thornton & France wine and spirit merchants
many thanks Keith

[Galium]

I think that James Thornton's wife may have been Hannah Booth:

1851 census

Friargate, Preston

James Thornton head M 39 Wine merchant Preston
Hannah Thornton wife M 38                         Hazel[--]* Forest of Rossendale
Mary Ann Thornton daur 12                           Preston
James Thornton son         10                         Preston
Elizabeth Thornton daur   9                           Preston
Hannah Thornton daur     7                            Preston
Thos. Booth      assistant 27 Clerk                Constable Lee, Lancashire

*Hard to read, but may be a misspelling of Haslingden. Constable Lee, where Thomas Booth was born is in the same area.

From the IGI

Marriage at Haslingden 8 July 1834

James Thornton
Hannah Booth

[mosiefish]

It says Hareholme which is Newchurch in Rossendale way.

Mo

[Galium]

Thanks Mo  .

1841

Friargate, Preston

James Thornton 30  Grocer & tea dealer
Hannah Thornton 25
Mary Thornton 2
James Thornton 8m
Elizabeth Thornton 10

[same address, separate household]

Alice Booth 50
Frederick Myers 20
Thomas Booth 15  Ap.
Isabella Wilcock 20 Female Servant

Everyone born in Lancashire

There is a Thomas Thornton aged 5 at Lower Booths, Rossendale, in the household of Nathaniel Booth, Mill owner aged 22.  Thomas Thornton who married Margaret Deborah Walker had the middle name, Nathaniel.

[Galium]

A fuller transcription of the marriage can be found on Lancashire OPC:
http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Search/indexp.html

except they have the groom as Thomas Thornton  .

St James Haslingden
8 July 1834
Thomas Thornton of Preston
Hannah Booth of Constablelee

married by banns with consent of parents

[keith77]

Thanks for the quick replies and the help. do you think i'm on the right track? do you think James is Thomas Nathaniels father?
from what i know he did live in frairgate preston, and went to the hodder now sent Marys when he was young, both Thomas N snr and Thomas NJ jnr were presidents of the Broughton catholic charitable socitiy and at some point lived in Grimsargh with Brockholes Thomas Jnr was my great great grandfather and married Helen Brown who was Matthew Browns( Blackburn based brewier) Daughter.
I hit a brickwall after Thomas Snr as my granmother remarried and her then husband took all the family history both the Thornton's and Browns,with him when she past away sp i might be guessing as to who his father was? thanks again

[keith77]

Hi again Thomas N snr was born on  october 25th 1836 he was the second of a family of eleven.
He went to Hodder in 1845 he entered the family business and retired in 1905. i also have mention of a James Thornton Born 1840? who might have emirgrated to Australia?
thanks

[Galium]

To confirm  that Thomas Nathaniel's father is James, you would need his marriage certificate.  You can find the marriage to Margaret D Walker on the LancsBMD index:

http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/

and order it online from that site.  

As Thomas was born before 1837 (when civil registration began) the only record of his birth will be a baptism record.  In 1836 there were two Roman Catholic churches in Preston: St Wilfrid in Chapel Street and St Mary in Friargate.  The Records Office in Preston will have copies of the registers for both churches.  If you cannot visit the RO yourself I think you can order a copy by post - if  you email the RO explaining what you are after I'm sure they will be able to help.

Re James Thornton born 1840 - James and Hannah have an 8 month old James with them in 1841.

[mosiefish]

Hi,

Like Galium says you would need the marriage certificate to confirm his father.

It may also be worthwhile applying for James Thorntons will to see if there is a mention of Thomas N.   James died on the 26th February, 1876 aged 64 at The Mount Fernyhalgh and his will proved on the 29th March, 1876.

Regards,
Mo