Answers to typical questions about Thrale and Thrall family history and Thrale.com. If you have a question that isn't answered here - please ask [3].
Almost certainly £135,000. This figure appears in a letter by Samuel Johnson [6] to Bennet Langton [7] dated 16 June 1781, in which he says…
You will, perhaps, be glad to hear, that Mrs. Thrale is disencumbered from her brewhouse; and that it seemed to the purchaser so far from an evil, that he was content to give for it an hundred and thirty-five thousand pounds. Is the nation ruined?.
A higher figure of £150,000 is believed to originate from Hester Thrale’s writings in Thraliana. The lower figure of £135,000, is most widely recognised as the sale price. It is unclear if this sale figure was for the brewery alone, or also included other establishments owned by Henry Thrale including The Castle [8] public house.
Allowing for inflation £135,000 equates to at least £14,000,000 or $20,000,000 today.
[9]
Below are questions and answers about the earliest known (so far) Thrale family records.
[14]
It is believed that all Thrale family members originate from Thrale's End [15], Bedfordshire; and the nearby village of Sandridge [16], Hertfordshire, both in Southern England. The family is know to have have lived here since at least 1309. 1
The earliest record of any Thrale is thought to John Thral in the 1309 Subsidy Rolls [20] for Bedfordshire and William le Thral in the 1332 Subsidy Rolls for Sussex.1
Robert Thrale who died in 1538 in Sandridgebury, Hertfordshire, was according to his will, buried in the "the medle Aley" of St. Leonards Church, Sandridge [16].
It is likely that many ancient Thrale graves were removed during the 1888 clearance of the graveyard. 1
The earliest known grave of which any trace remains is in the graveyard outside St. Leonard's Church in Sandridge village lies is the tomb of Susanah Thrale who died on 15th November 1751 Aged 23.
[23]
The furthest back that anyone is known to have traced unbroken ancestors is Robert Thrale who died in 1538 in Sandridgebury, Hertfordshire. Robert is said to be buried "the medle Aley" of St. Leonard's Church [16] in Sandridge.
William Thrall [29], born Sandridge [16] 1605, died 3 August 1676 in Windsor, Connecticut, America. He sailed to America on 20 March 1630 and landed on 30 May 1630, at a place in Boston that they later called Dorchester.
Below are questions and answers about notable family connections to royalty, nobility and high society.
[34]
Princess Elizabeth [35] thanked the Thrale family for hiding and securing her escape at Nomansland [36] from Queen Mary [37] between 1556 and 1558. When Elizabeth became Queen she repaid the Thrale family by giving them the family arms and a broad arrow [38].
William Trayle was Member of Parliament (M.P.) for the County in 1376 and 1381.
Johannes Trayle was Chevalier M.P. for Bedford Borough in 1541.
Michael Thrayle appears as M.P. for the Bedford Borough [41] in 1541.
[42]
Ralph Thrale [43] 1698-1758 was M.P. for Southwark [44] between 1741 and 1747.
[45]
His son Henry Thrale [46] 1730 - 1781 was also M.P. for Southwark between 23 December 1765 and September 1780 [47]. He was re-elected after coming second in the in the 1768 and October 1774 general elections. Henry was a Tory - like all brewers - and was together with Samuel Johnson was a fervent supporter of Lord North [48]. He was defeated in the 1780 election, which included an election address [49] which was written by Dr. Samuel Johnson [6].
One of Ralph Thrale's other children was Susannah Thrale [50]. She was twice married, both times to MPs! Her first husband was Thomas Scott M.P. for Bridport 1780-1790. Her second husband was Arnold Nesbitt M.P. (died 1779) for Cricklade [51] between 1761-1768 and 1774-1779.
Henry Thrale's godson, Jeremiah (Joseph) Crutchley [52] (1745 - 1801) sat as M.P. for Horsham [53] 1784-1790. He also owned Sunningdale Park in Berkshire.
[54]
Queeney Thrale (Henry's eldest child) husband Viscount George Keith of Elphinstone [55] sat as Member of Parliament for Dunbarton [56] from 1781 - 1790, and later was M.P. for Stirlingshire [57] between 1796 and 1802.
It is speculated (by Hester Thrale in Thraliana [58] dated 1 March 1779) that Henry Thrale's sister Lady Mary Lade (1733-1802) [59] bore an illegitimate child for Colonel Sir Philip Jennings Clerke M.P. (died 1788) after the death of her husband Sir John Lade.1 This is not a definitive list, and there could well be further Thrale MPs. Please tell if you know of any others.
So far I have discovered three English Kings to which have been distantly related to a Thrale.
[65]
[69]
[71]
[75]
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 [76];
* Oliver Goldsmith [77];
* James Boswell [78];
* Arthur Murphy [79] 1727-18 June 1805 lawyer, dramatist and Henry Thrale’s oldest and dearest friend
* Sir Joshua Reynolds [80] painter and President of Royal Academy of Art [81] 1723-1792,
* Jeremiah (Joseph) Crutchley [52] 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 [82] died 21 February 1806 timber merchant of London and Beckenham,
* Bennet Langton [7] a scholar of Greek and close friend of Samuel Johnson 1737-1801,
* Topham Beauclerk [83] 2nd husband of Lady Diana Spencer [84] and close friend of Samuel Johnson 1739-1831,
* Sir John Hawkins [85] author 1719-1789,
* Edmund Burke [86] statesman, author, orator, political theorist, and philosopher 1729-1797,
* Thomas Percy [87] 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 [88] 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 [89] 1719 - 5 May 1789 Queeney’s Italian tutor,
* Charles Burney [90] 1726-1814 musician, writer and Queeney’s [91] music tutor,
* Frances (Fanny) Burney [92] 1752-1840 (author of Evelina [93]),
* David Garrick [94] actor 1717-1779,
* William Henry Lyttelton Westcote later 1st Baron Lyttleton of Frankley [95] 1724-1808,
* Baronet William Weller Pepys 1740-1825 created a Baronet in 1801,
* James Harris [96], 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 [97]1720-1800 ’Blue Stocking’ authoress, social reformer, patron of the arts, hostess, literary critic, and writer.
[54]Below are questions and answers about the Thrale family name and its meaning.
The name Thrale or Thrall is thought to derive from the Old English term 'præl' or the Old Norse term 'præll', meaning …
a villein, serf, bondman.
It is likely to have arisen from the requirement to work three or four days a week for the Lord of the Manor. 1
The earliest record of any Thrale is thought to John Thral in the 1309 Subsidy Rolls [20] for Bedfordshire and William le Thral in the 1332 Subsidy Rolls for Sussex.1
However since at least the year 1600, records show the principle spelling as Thrale. Derivatives including Thrall, Thralls, Thral, Trayle and Thrawl are thought to have arisen mainly through emigration.
The most common Thrale male forename is Ralph and Thomas, closely followed by John and William.
Of the 15 direct male ancestors of David Thrale [121] - owner of this website - five were called Thomas, three were Richard two were Robert, with one each of Ralph, Kenneth, Herbert and John. Other common Thrale forenames include, Richard, Alban, Norman and Peter.
Female genealogical records are less readily available. However, common Thrale female forenames during the same period include Elizabeth, Anne, Sarah and Mary.
Below are questions and answers about this website.
David Thrale [121]. I live in Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom.
We do not do anything to compromise our users privacy. We want to encourage - not discourage - visitors. Read our privacy statement [128] and content statement [129].
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