Brief profile of R.T.Thornton by Don Ambrose

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Player:

RT Thornton

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THORNTON, Richard Thornton.
Amateur.
Born at Folkestone, Kent, 28th March 1853.
Died at Eastbourne, Sussex, 30th May 1928.
The eldest son of Richard Napoleon Thornton, of 98 Portland Place, London, W., and Knowle, Sidmouth, Devon, and the brother of Charles Inglis Thornton (Kent and Middlesex) and Walter Alfred Thornton (Oxford University). He was educated privately and at St John’s College, Oxford, but appeared in no first-class matches whilst at university, although he won a blue for association football. He made his debut in first class cricket in 1881, when 28 years old, and played in a total of 66 matches, 45 of them for Kent. Previously he had played for Dorset (1872), Devon (1873-77) and Wiltshire (1875). He toured North America in 1885. In Holy Orders he was at one time curate of Sidmouth, Devon, and in 1892 he was appointed acting chaplain to the Royal West Kent Regiment, and was at that time living at Tunbridge Wells.
At the time of the 1881 Census he was living at Rosemon, Chestnut Avenue, Tormoham, Devon, the home of his uncle Alfred Pulford, aged 58 born in London, a fund holder, and his wife Ellen, aged 55 born in London. They have three unmarried daughters, Emily aged 22 born London, Eliza M. aged 16 born Wimbledon, and Janet M. aged 14 born Teddington, and an unmarried son Henry E. aged 20 born Wimbledon. Richard T. Thornton is aged 28 and the assistant curate of Sidmouth, and his wife Ellen L. (daughter of the Pulfords?) is aged 29 born London. They have three children Ellen M. aged 2, Alfred N. aged 1 and Richard P. aged one month. There is a butler and fourteen domestic servants.

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Don Ambrose)