Thrale English history
Thrale’s End
The Thrale family originated around the Hundred of Flitt in Bedfordshire and of its parishes Clophill, Barton, Gravenhurst (Upper & Lower). Higher Gobian and Pulloxhill are of special significance, but paramount is the parish of Luton with its manors of East and West Hyde which border on to the hamlet of Thrale’s End.
Thrale’s End is a little hamlet on the Bedfordshire / Hertfordshire border, north of Harpenden and four miles from Sandridge and five miles from St Albans.
The earliest records of any Thrale is in the Subsidy Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1309 which shows William le Thral to have been liable for 3/- and Johanne Thral for 2/-.
In 1329, Richard le Threl and William le Threl were witnesses to a grant of land called Sparrows in Thrale’s End which is the earliest reference to this hamlet.
Richard le Threl was mentioned the 1332 Sussex Subsidy Rolls. Richard Thrale of Westhyd, Luyton, granted to William Goffe in 1355 a croft ‘vinis, sepibus et fossatis’ - with vines, hedges and ditches at Westhyd, and was witnessed by William and Robert Thrale.
Four years later in 1359, William and Richard Thrale were connected with a grant of land at Hydefeld. Johanries Trayle is recorded as being M.P. for Bedfordshire in 1376 and Chevalier M.P. in 1381.
In 1493-4, a Thrale - probably Edward, of Luton - became a Bachelor of Arts at Cambridge University. He had earlier been ordained as a priest in Lincoln on 31 March 1487. (Source: Venn, J. A., comp. Alumni Cantabrigienses. London: Cambridge University Press, 1922-1954.)
Johannes Trayle was Chevalier Member of Parliament for Bedford Borough in 1541.
In 1561 William Thrale of West Hyde granted land to Ralph Hay and his wife Agnes, with the witnesses of Richard and Robert Thrale.
Guild of the Holy Trinity, Luton Church
On the 12th May of 1474 Thomas Rotherham (Archbishop of York from 1474-1499) obtained from King Edward IV, a licence for himself, his brother John Rotherham, John Lammer, Vicar of Luton, John Thrale (senior) of Thrales End, West Hyde, and others, to form a guild in connection with Luton Church and when the guild should be established to found a chantry in the Church with two Chaplains. The origins and aims were brotherly love, charity and social intercourse.
The Register of the Guild and some accounts were found in possession of the Marquis of Bute showing the Guild to be one of the most wealthy and splendid in the Kingdom. Annual lists indicate the Masters, Wardens, Brethrens, Sisters, and Bachelors and Maidens of the Guild, many members being of Royal rank as well as Bishops. Some examples cite John Lammer, Vicar of Luton, as Master with John Thrale and Thomas Perot of the Wyne as Wardens in 1476. In 1482 John and Richard Thrale and their wives of Thrales End were members, a year later John Thrale, senior, was Master, and in 1509 William Thrale was also Master.
Edward Thrale
Edward Thrale of Thrale’s End kept records interspersed with signs used by an apothecary. The geometrical signs Edward used suggests that the page was a palimpsest or parchment which could be written on many times. Part of a page reads:
“Edward Thrale of Luton parish called Thrales End
23rd of June at Oh.6 pm
1616
Troubled in mynd
over since
Easter
the Sunday after May Daye
I very thirsty
An seyd to him that he thought him to be a witch.
And since he hath bene ill and will follow no bisyness
as he did before”
To interpret 6 p.m. for "post meriden" would be annachronistic and the whole phrase probably is "obit horae propria manu" (he died in the sixth hour by his own hand) and the whole passage indicates mental illness.
Michael Thrale
Michael Thrale was born about 1512 at a place called Farley alias St. Lukes, and later lived at Luton Hoo. He was M.P. for Bedford Town with William Johnson in 1542 and was also an Under Sheriff of Hertfordshire who was involved in many Chancery cases. Apparently a gentleman, at Hertford he was accused of rigging a Jury as Under Sheriff whilst dealing with a dispute over tithe pay at North Mimms. In another case Michael did not panel jurors as to a wrongful entry into a messuage in Luton and called the plaintiff, Robert Daldern “a false perpetual knave.”
Michael was in conflict with a bevy of citizens concerning the marking of timber. More conflict was with Richard Farmer merchant of the Staple at Calais over Luton Hoo and the mill called Stapleford. Farmer served his writ not only against Michael but also William Collyn.
Further suits against Michael Thrale and his wife Elizabeth were made by Edward Hickman of Hawnes over land. Michael then sued Edward Bardolf of Harpenden. Following this he had to answer complaints by John Pruddon, a miller of Luton, concerning the sale of forty sheep. This was whilst Michael was at Thrales Purslayes in 1564. Robert Daldern was later supervisor of Richard Thrale's will in 1572.
Robert Thrale
Robert Thrale (the elder) was victualler to the Monastery of St. Albans in 1522 and died 1538. He was the first Thrale recorded in the Hertfordshire village of Sandridge (Map). It is thought that all Thrale and derivative names like Thrall descend from this line.
Thrales of Sandridge
Sandridge badge
Sometime between 1556 and 1558 the Thrale family helped Princess Elizabeth to escape by concealing her for several days. As a reward Queen Elizabeth I rewarded the Thrale family on her succession to the Throne with arms and a broad arrow.
The Thrale family have a long held connection with Nomansland in Sandridge. Over the centuries the Thrale family farmed virtually every part of the old Sandridge parish, as well as Cell Barnes, Napsbury and Mackerye End.
A detailed account of Thrale family history is taken from the 1952 publication "Historic Sandridge" and the 1948 publication Hertfordshire Notes and Queries.
Norman Thrale had a Bakers Shop in Sandridge between 1965 and 1985.
Other well established Sandridge farming families associated with the Thrales were the Cox (Hill End), Burchmore, Smith (Waterend, Harefield, Evans Farm) and Reynolds (Heath Farm, Cheapside, Hammonds) families who intermarried over the years so that there were many relations in common. In some instances the surnames have been combined.
Thrales of Wheathampstead
Sarah Thrale born 11 Aug 1805
Several Thrale’s - including my branch of the family - moved from Sandridge to Wheathampstead (and other Hertfordshire villages).
In the 18th century Ralph Thrale of Wheathampstead left behind an engraved goblet. Thrale.com also has a photograph of his daughter Sarah Thrale who was born in 1805.
We also have some information about the military career of Thomas William Thrale.
Thrales of St. Albans
Thrale’s also lived in St Albans and Norman Thrale had a confectionery shop there.
Thrales of Streatham
Henry and Hester Thrale of Streatham are the most famous Thrale family. Henry Thrale and his father Ralph both owned the powerful Thrale Brewery and were also both Member of Parliament for Southwark.
Hester Thrale was a well regarded author and linguist who published several books and letters. Many of Hester Thrale’s works, including her renowned 1786 book Anecdotes of the late Samuel Johnson are freely available on Thrale.com .
Henry Thrale by Sir Joshua Reynolds
Britain’s greatest 18th Century author, Samuel Johnson, who wrote the first English dictionary, lived with Henry and Hester Thrale for many years.
Thrale.com also has portraits of their family, along with information about their many homes and children, One of whom married into the nobility.
Thrales and Thralls of Nottinghamshire
Aside from the Thrales in, and from, Hertfordshire, there are also Thrale and Thrall families originating from the Nottinghamshire area in Northern England. Thrale.com has limited information on this.
It is unknown how this branch is related to the Hertfordshire branch.
However the good news is that I have been sent some information about this branch which will soon be posted on Thrale.com . Do tell me if you have any information that may help me.
