Edmund Thornton

Consort of Judith Philip (q.v.), husband of Jane Thornton nee Butler (q.v.), partner with Simon Fraser in British Guiana and partner with James Baillie of Bedford Square and Duncan Campbell of Bedford Square (each of whom q.v.). Active in Grenada as a manager before Fedon's Rebellion but returning to England, where he married Jane Butler in 1796.

1. In 1785 Edmund Thornton was shown in Grenada in partnership with Thomas Campbell, and in 1786 again in Grenada in partnership with Jeremiah Williamson.

2. Will of Edmund Thornton of Whittington Hall Lancashire proved 28/07/1821. Under the will he left the bulk of his estate in trust (his trustees were James Baillie of Bedford Square, John Bolton, Isaac Littledale, Benjamin Harpur of the West indies and George Burrow of Lancaster, each of whom q.v.) to secure annuities of £2000 p.a. for his wife Jane and £500 p.a. to his sister Mrs Ann Picard [sp?]; the remainder of his estate passed to his sons Butler Edmund Thornton and William Thomas Thornton (each of whom q.v.).

3. Benjamin "Harpur" may be Benjamin Harper who died in Demerara in 1827, who had been the Harper of Campbell, Baillie and Harper (failed 1819) and who can be shown to have transferred himself from Grenada to Demerara c. 1820. He made Louis E. Thornton and James Baillie his executors.

1. London Gazette 12687 01/10/1785 p. 454; ibid 12806 21/11/1786 p. 566.

2. PROB 11/1646/284.

3. PROB 11/1771/136.

We are grateful to James Brennan for his assistance with compiling this entry.