Ralph Thrale’s goblet
Ralph Thrale of Sandridge (born before 16 November 1766) possessed the goblet shown here with the initials RT. Ralph and his wife, Abigail Burchmore had five children.
Ralph Thrale's goblet. Click on image to enlarge.
The goblet was inherited by their daughter Sarah Thrale (Wheathampstead 11 August 1805 - 8 December 1884). Sarah married a carpenter called John Wilshire (1805 - 27 December 1876). Together they had seven children.
Sarah died aged 79 at Cambridge Cottage, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, England on 8 December 1884, and Ralph Thrale’s goblet passed to one of their sons Thomas George Wilsher of Wheathampstead. Thomas - a master baker - was born 20 March 1840. Thomas’ first wife was Eliza Jane Tindall (born 5 December 1845 in Woolwich) on 18 October 1863 in Islington. Together they had two children.
Ralph Thrale’s goblet then passed to their son Thomas George Wilsher Jr (born Wheathampstead 12 May 1864). At the age of 20, Thomas emmigrated to Melbourne, Australia in 1884 to escape being made to go to Italy for singing lessons. He had a marvellous voice and sang in the choir at St Alban’s Cathedral.
Thomas’s sweetheart, Mary Brock Billows who was 12 years his senior, followed a few months later in 1885. She emmigrated with her brother, Frederick in order to marry Thomas. Subsequently Thomas and Mary had two children.
They later moved to Brisbane, Queensland where Thomas Wilsher was a confectioner and baker, most likely a trade learnt from his father.
Mary’s father was a gas lighting engineer. He died in 1857 in Calcutta, India from cholera where he was installing gas lighting for the city.
Ralph Thrale’s goblet then passed to their second child, Gladys Charmbury Brock Wilsher born 1890 in Brisbane. Upon her death at the grand age of 98, Ralph Thrale’s goblet passed to Gladys’ daughter Grace, the present owner (my fourth cousin, once removed).
