Name:
Abraham Thornton1
Sex:
Male
Father:
-
Mother:
-
1834, Register Entry for Burial of Abraham Thornton
Birth:
1762 (cal)
Whitechapel, Middlesex2
The Allegation for his marriage to Ann Flower in 1787 gives his age as 25.
Residence:
frm Sep 1787 to 1806 (age 24-44)
The evidence comes from the Baptismal Register entries for their children William (b. 1788), Sarah (b.1789)
Parent:
27 Jul 1788 (age 25-26)
Baptism of son William
Parent:
30 Nov 1789 (age 26-27)
Baptism of daughter Sarah
Parents:
4 May 1792 (age 29-30)
Abraham and Ann Thornton were present at the burial of their child Sarah on 4 May 1792 in St Mary's Churchyard, Whitechapel, Middlesex according to the Church of England rite. Her parents would have been present and they probably took Sarah's older brother Wiliam with them. Who else was present is not known.
Parent:
27 Jun 1792 (age 29-30)
Baptism of son Abraham George
Parent:
11 Oct 1795 (age 32-33)
Baptism of daughter Hannah
Parent:
12 Nov 1797 (age 34-35)
Baptism of son Samuel
Parent:
4 Apr 1800 (age 37-38)
Baptism of daughter Catherine
Parent:
21 Aug 1801 (age 38-39)
Baptism of daughter Elizabeth
Parent:
18 Jan 1807 (age 44-45)
Baptism of son Joseph
spouse:
1 Mar 1823 (age 60-61)
Death of spouse Ann
Spouse:
5 Mar 1823 (age 60-61)
His wife Ann was buried in Christ Church graveyard
Death:
9 Aug 1834 (age 71-72)
Spitalfields Parish Workhouse
Address: corner of Charles Street and Thomas Street
When and why he had entered the workhouse is not known. By the time of his death the silk industry had entered a long decline and the old merchant dwellings had degenerated into multi-occupied slums. Spitalfields became a by-word for urban deprivation, and, by 1832, concern about a London cholera epidemic led The Poor Man's Guardian (18 February 1832) to write of Spitalfields, "The low houses are all huddled together in close and dark lanes and alleys, presenting at first sight an appearance of non-habitation, so dilapidated are the doors and windows. In every room of the houses, whole families, parents, children and aged grandfathers swarm together."
Burial:
11 Aug 1834 (age 72)
Christ Church graveyard8
Address: Spitalfields, Middlesex
As he died in the workhouse he was almost certainly buried in a common grave. Who was present is not known - perhaps some of his children.
Spouse:
Children:
Marriage:
23 Sep 1787 (age 25)
St Mary's Church9
Address: Whitechapel, Middlesex
Ann was underage at the time and married with her father's consent. The witnesses were the bride's father and a Samuel Gioton whose relationship to either the groom or the bride is unknown. Ann's mother was probably there. Also Abraham's parents whose names are not known. Who else was there is not known.
As Ann was a minor and the marriage was by licence she may have been pregnant. Their first child William, presumably named after Ann's father, was baptised on 30 July 1788 (his date of birth is not recorded) so she was either pregnant or the child was conceived very shortly after they were married.
As his baptismal record cannot be found it is impossible to trace his ancestors.
Church of England, Register Entry for Baptism of Abraham George Thornton, (Ancestry website). London Metropolitan Archives. Call Number: P93/MRY1/003, 005, 071-08.
Rev. Edward Robson, Register Entry for Marriage of Abraham Thornton and Ann Flower. St. Mary's Church, Whitechapel , (Ancestry website for LMA call no.: P93/MRY1/003, 005, 071-081.). Custom Id: Marriages 1787, Page 299, No. 880; Date23 September 1787Groom's NameAbraham Thornton. London Metropolitan Archives. Call Number: P93/MRY1/003, 005, 071-08.
Church of England, Register Entry for Baptism of William Thornton. St. Mary's Church, Whitechapel, (Ancestry website). Custom Id: Baptisms 1784; Ann and Abraham Thornton resided at Thomas's Street. London Metropolitan Archives. Call Number: P93/MRY1/003, 005, 071-08.
Church of England, Register Entry for Baptism of Catherine Thornton at St Mary's Church, Whitechapel, (Ancestry website of LMA Call no.: P93/MRY1/003, 005, 071-081.). Custom Id: Baptisms 1800; London Metropolitan Archives. Call Number: P93/MRY1/003, 005, 071-08.
Church of England, Register Entry for Baptism of Elizabeth Thornton at St. Mary's Church, Whitechapel, (FMP website). London Metropolitan Archives.
Register Entry for Baptism of Joseph Thornton. St. Mary's Church, Whitechapel. London Metropolitan Archives.
Church of England, Register Entry for Baptism of Sarah Thornton. St. Mary's Church, Whitechapel, (FMP website transcript only). Custom Id: Baptisms 1789; The register gives the residence of Abraham and Ann Thornton as Thomas's Street. London Metropolitan Archives. Call Number: P93/MRY1/003, 005, 071-08.
Parish Register for Burial of Abraham Thornton, Christ Church with St Mary and St Stephen, Spitalfields, Middlesex, 11 August 1834, London Metropolitan Archives.
Rev. Edward Robson, Register Entry for Marriage of Abraham Thornton and Ann Flower. St. Mary's Church, Whitechapel , (Ancestry website for LMA call no.: P93/MRY1/003, 005, 071-081.). Custom Id: Marriages 1787, Page 299, No. 880; Cit. Date: 23 September 1787. London Metropolitan Archives. Call Number: P93/MRY1/003, 005, 071-08.