Henry and Hester Thrale had some famous friends - who were they?

  • Posted on: 22 September 2009
  • By: David Thrale

Samuel Johnson by Sir Joshua Reynolds 1772
The Thrale's had a taste for literary guests and literary guests had, on their part, a taste for her good dinners. James Boswell described "the witty and the eminent who assembled in numerous companies". Guests included the likes of:
* Samuel Johnson;
* Oliver Goldsmith;
* James Boswell;
* Arthur Murphy 1727-18 June 1805 lawyer, dramatist and Henry Thrale’s oldest and dearest friend
* Sir Joshua Reynolds painter and President of Royal Academy of Art 1723-1792,
* Jeremiah (Joseph) Crutchley 1745 - 28 December 1805 Henry Thrale’s godson,
* William Seward 1747-1799 anecdotist and son of a wealthy brewer of the firm Calvert and Seward,
* John Cator died 21 February 1806 timber merchant of London and Beckenham,
* Bennet Langton a scholar of Greek and close friend of Samuel Johnson 1737-1801,
* Topham Beauclerk 2nd husband of Lady Diana Spencer and close friend of Samuel Johnson 1739-1831,
* Sir John Hawkins author 1719-1789,
* Edmund Burke statesman, author, orator, political theorist, and philosopher 1729-1797,
* Thomas Percy Bishop of Dromore, editor of Tatler, Guardian and Spectator, 1729-1811
* Dr. Christopher Nugent father-in law of Edmund Burke died 1775,
* Sir Robert Chambers professor of law at Oxford and Judge 1737-1803,
* Samuel Dyer 1725-1772 writer and translator,
* James Woodhouse a shoemaker 1735-1820,
* Giuseppe Marc’ Antonio Baretti 1719 - 5 May 1789 Queeney’s Italian tutor,
* Charles Burney 1726-1814 musician, writer and Queeney’s music tutor,
* Frances (Fanny) Burney 1752-1840 (author of Evelina),
* David Garrick actor 1717-1779,
* William Henry Lyttelton Westcote later 1st Baron Lyttleton of Frankley 1724-1808,
* Baronet William Weller Pepys 1740-1825 created a Baronet in 1801,
* James Harris, philosopher grammarian and author of Hermes,
* Sir Philip Jennings Clerke, Baronet of Duddlestone Hall 1722-1788 MP for Totnes,
* Baronet Sir Richard Jebb 1729-1787,
* James Wallace, Solicitor and Attorney-General,
* Elizabeth Montagu 1720-1800 ’Blue Stocking’ authoress, social reformer, patron of the arts, hostess, literary critic, and writer.