| Name |
John Thrale |
- The most affluent, yet the last, of the line. Although inheriting Fairfolds before his twenty-first birthday, he surprisingly left Sandridge to seek his fortune, in which he succeeded. Whether he found happiness is another thing. He was obviously a man of resource, energy and courage, but his story before and after his death is marred by continual and unhappy conflict. [1]
|
 |
A New Thraliana (1973)
A chronicle of the Thrale family of Hertfordshire by Richard William Thrale (1931-2007), building on the Thrale chapter from the 1952 book Historic Sandridge. Reproduced in full with consent of the author.
|
| Birth |
1650 |
Sandridge, Hertfordshire, England  [1] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Note |
Rather suspicious conduct was displayed by John when acting as executor to the will, of Samuel Parker, former Bishop of Oxford. He was sued by the Bishop's son Gilbert who complained that he became acquainted with John who professed great friendship. John then made insinuations about the virtue of Gilbert's wife and persuaded him to go to Utrecht, leaving his wife as a boarder with John. Further, John refused to render any account of the Bishop'a estate. John's motives would appear to be rather obvious, but as further answers and replications written in great detail on eight large membranes of parchment are badly stained and illegible, the final outcome cannot be reported. [2] |
| Property |
Bef 1671 |
Fairfolds farm, Sandridge, Hertfordshire, England [1] |
| Inherited before coming of age, i.e. before 21st birthday |
| Note |
1678 [3] |
| An action of 1678 recorded that, three years earlier John had deposited pictures with Mr. Thomas Coulthurst, a "picture drawer", for safe keeping in the house owned by Joseph Lavington in Blowbladder Street, London. Coulthurst had died, and Lavington would not give up the pictures because Coulthurst had been in debt to him, and John naturally claimed them, most of which had been purchased by John from Coulthurst. Amongst the pictures were portraits of Cleopatra, Berenice, Portia, Lucretia, 'with a rich gilt frame, Leada, Narcissus, being six pieces painted by Mons Phillips, an excellent artist. There was also a fruit piece by the hand of Guillman, a little piece of drollery by an excellent hand. The Virgin Mary and the Shepherds by the like hand, one landskipp, one old head of Anthony Moores, one head with a ruffe, a piece with an ebony frame, were also included. It was indeed quite a picture gallery. |
| Occupation |
Bef 1684 |
Barbados [1] |
| Manager of a farm likely using enslaved Africans as labourers. One of many chancery proceedings tells of his early career in that when thirty four years old he had declared that he had been manager of a farm in Barbados and during the term of his employment he had sold to Jonothan Woodhouse goods belonging to the farm to the value of £11,586 in the name of the owners John Strode and Patrick Trant. |
| Note |
1684 [3] |
| Purser of H.M. Ship 'The Montague', one Thomas Baynham of Luton stated that he received money from John Thrale, a person belonging to the victuallers of the Navy. A bill of £94 was repudiated by Thrale. |
| Occupation |
1684 |
St Giles Cripplegate, Middlesex, England [4] |
| Merchant |
| Note |
1685 [3] |
| John complained that he had invested £50 in the forthcoming voyage to the East Indies in a ship 'The Constantinople Merchant' being prepared by John Smith and had received no return. |
| Residence |
1686 |
Saint Nicholas Cole Abbey, Middlesex, England [1] |
| Note |
Bef 1687 [3] |
| A few years before 1687 he had to give evidence concerning stores supplied by certain victuallers to H.M. Navy at Portsmouth. |
| Occupation |
1687 [3] |
| As a deponent in 1687 he recalls that the Earl of Monmouth, Dalby Thomas and Edmund Evans, and Nevile Pain, raised between six and seven thousand pounds to fit out a ship and search for a wreck in the West Indies. |
| Occupation |
27 Mar 1696 [1] |
| Appearing in the Livery as Citizen and Brewer in 1696, he was the same year a signatory of the Association Oath Roll, endorsed "The Company of Brewers; Association Entered into the 27th of March 1696". The oath illustrates the political situation of the time for it reads, "Whereas there has been a horrid and destestable conspiracy formed and carried on by Papists and other wicked and Traitorous persons for Assassinateing his Majesties Royal Person in order to Encourage an Invasion from France to subvert our Religion Laws and Libertie Wee whose names are hereunto Subscribed doe heartily sincerely and solemnly profess testifie and declare That his present Majestie King William is rightfull and lawful king of these realms And Wee do mutually promise and engage to stand by and Assist each other to the utmost of our Power in the Suport and defence of his Majesties most Sacred Person and Goverm't against the late king James and all his adherents And in case his Maj'tie come to any Violent or untimely death (which God forbid) Wee do hereby further freely and Unanimously oblidge ourselves to unite Associate and stand by each other, in Revengeing the same upon his Enemies and their adherents and in supporting and deffending the Succession of the Crown according to an Act made in the first year of the Reign of king William and Queen Mary Intituled An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subjects and settling the succession of the crown. |
| Agency: The Company of Brewers; Association |
| Note |
1697 [3] |
| Another dispute with Dalby Thomas of London, which included various matters ranging from tickets for the Million Lottery, shares in Hampstead Waterworks, and postages from Barbados. |
| Residence |
1699 |
Saint Nicholas Cole Abbey, Middlesex, England [1] |
| In 1699 the son of John Daviss 'at Mr. Thraille's, Distaf Lane' was baptised. |
Address:
Distaff Lane |
| Note |
1700 [3] |
| John was sued by Thomas Robinson of London, mariner and commander of the ship "Fosdyke Yatch" when England was at war with France, and which carried a cargo of £10,000 in value. John was appointed to adjust the accounts' of the loading, but the results of his work were disputed. Attached to these records was a schedule headed "laden on board the ship called "The Prince William of Denmarke," and the merchants' marks of vintners against each barrel of wine were listed. |
| Property |
Ilford, Essex, England |
| Death |
15 May 1704 |
St Albans, Hertfordshire, England |
| Will |
1 Jun 1704 [5] |
John's will is curious in that no mention is made of Thrale kin except his daughters. No knowledge can therefore be gleaned of the destinies of his brother Thomas, or sisters.
He asked to be buried at St Albans Abbey. He bequeathed funds for the benefit of the Abbey, St Peter's and St Michael's, all of St Albans, the funds to be supervised by Mayor and Aldermen of St Albans.
His numerous London friends are mentioned, silver spurs being a favourite legacy. Gilbert Parker was to benefit but his name was erased owing supposedly to the acrimony a few years earlier. His cousin was William Marston and friend John Gape, no doubt both of the families in St Michael's, St Albans.
A most complicated sharing was devised between his wife and three daughters, which included his property at Ilford. A commission in 1708 was granted to Elizabeth Waldron, wife of Christopher Waldron, apothecary, Margaret Hyde, wife of William Hyde, and Sarah Huntman, wife of Robert Huntman.
He gave his wife Margaret life interest in Fairfolds Farm, after which it would pass to daughters of Margaret and Sarah with remainder to daughter Elizabeth. Margaret the mother however gave up her claim by taking one-third, and Margaret Hide, wife of William Hide of London, salter, and Sarah Thrale, were admitted.
Fairfolds, however, remained the possession of the descendants of John Thrale until sold to, Thomas Thrale, in 1765. |
| Burial |
Sumpter Yard, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England [6] |
 |
St Albans Cathedral mourning tablet, 1704.
Mourning tablet for John Thrale, wife Margaret Thrale née Chaplin & sons Richard, John and Charles. Displayed the Thrale arms of a paly of ten or and gules impaling those of the Chaplin family, ermine on a chief indented azure, three griffins, heads erased or. This is the earliest known time that the arms of the family were monumentally displayed, having been adopted by John Thrale from the arms granted to the Threeles of Sussex.
Plot: South transept. |
 |
Thrale coat of arms on John Thrale's monument at St Albans Cathedral
|
| Person ID |
I304 |
UK Thrale family |
| Last Modified |
30 Aug 2024 |
| Family |
Margaret Chaplin, b. Abt 1651, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England d. 31 Aug 1708, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England (Age 57 years) |
| Marriage |
1673 [1] |
| Residence |
1693 |
Saint Nicholas Cole Abbey, Middlesex, England [2] |
In the Government Tontine of 1693 noted are daughters of John Thrale of St. Nicholas Cole-Abbey, London, merchant, resident in Distaff-Lane:- Sarah, aged 10;
- Margaret, aged 13.
|
Address:
Distaff-Lane |
|
|
A New Thraliana (1973)
A chronicle of the Thrale family of Hertfordshire by Richard William Thrale (1931-2007), building on the Thrale chapter from the 1952 book Historic Sandridge. Reproduced in full with consent of the author.
|
| Note |
1720 [9] |
| In 1720 the three daughters were all arguing about the two wills. Trouble was caused, amongst other things, by Christopher Waldron giving advice to his mother-in-law, Margaret, to sell stock in the Mine Adventure, and the advice was continued after his death by his wife Elizabeth and later by her new husband William Hall. Margaret, the mother, had also, according to the plaintiffs, been very extravagant. |
| Notes |
- The surviving children of John were three daughters, Margaret, Elizabeth and Sarah. [2]
|
| Children |
| + | 1. Elizabeth Thrale d. Aft 1704
|
| | 2. John Thrale d. Bef 1704 |
| | 3. Richard Thrale, b. Bef 1 Jul 1678, London, England d. Bef 1704 (Age 25 years) |
| | 4. Margaret Thrale, b. 1679, London, England d. Aft 1704 (Age 26 years)
|
| | 5. Charles Thrale, b. Bef 13 Apr 1682 d. Bef 1704 (Age 21 years) |
| | 6. Sarah Thrale, b. Abt 1683, London, England d. Aft 18 Oct 1705 (Age 22 years)
|
| | 7. Abby Rebecca Thrale d. 1687 |
|
| Family ID |
F159 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
30 Aug 2024 |
Thrale/Thrall history
1650 - 1704 (54 years)
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set