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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: halcyon.64 on Thursday 23 May 19 08:17 BST (UK)
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Hello,
I am hoping someone may be able to help me with information regarding Henry Thornton; Service Number 621 of the Royal Horse Guards. I have his service record from the NAUK. He was 19 years and 1 month of age when he attested on 4th February 1836, so was presumably born in either December 1816 or early January 1817. He was born in Reigate, Surry and at the time he enlisted was a cordwainer (a person who made shoes out of new leather).
He married on 25th November, 1850 but I can't work out who to.
He served abroad, was wounded and distinguished himself - I would like to know where if possible. He was still serving when he died aged 58 on 31st January, 1875 by which time he had served for a grand total of 38 years and 362 days.
I have a frame containing his good service stripes, a portrait plus his enlistment date - 2nd February - and death date.
I purchased this frame in Western Australia and would love to know how it ended up here. I would like to display it in our war and social history museum and having extra information would be wonderful.
Thanks in advance,
Kathryn.
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The historical record here:
https://archive.org/details/historicalrecord00packiala/page/n5 will take you up to 1846.
This https://archive.org/details/apersonalhistor01stocgoog/page/n11
will take you to the end of his service.
He doesn't seem to appear on any medal ists of the period so you may have to guess from the histories where he possibly "distinguished himself".
His marriage is almost certainly to be the one registered in Windsor in Q 4 1850. FreeBMD has the possible brides:
https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl?start=1850&end=1850&sq=4&eq=4&type=Marriages&vol=6&pgno=551&db=bmd_1557134722&jsexec=1&mono=0&v=MTU1ODYwMDU5ODpkYzkxNGJkYjgwMThkMTY2ZmVhY2VhZTVjMGE1OWExNThjMWIyZGRi&searchdef=db%3Dbmd_1557134722%26eq%3D4%26given%3Dhenry%26sq%3D1%26end%3D1850%26surname%3Dthornton%26type%3DMarriages%26start%3D1850&action=Find
Can't find his wife in 1861 - someone may have better luck.
MaxD
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1851
Henry Thornton 33 Officers servant b 1818 Reigate, Surrey
Mary Thornton 30 b 1821 London, Middlesex
Ann Jane 1 b 1850 Canterbury, Kent
birth reg Annie Mary Jane Thornton 1850 Canterbury mmn Boyd
Henry married Mary Boyd
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Any chance of posting his portrait? would be most interesting for dating.
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Great work - thank you! I have tried to photograph the portrait part of the frame - not the best image, sorry.
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This is the crest at the bottom of the frame. I think the monogrammed letters represent the Royal Horse Guards.
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Death
Annie Mary Jane Thornton
July 1852 Pancras
Buried 2nd July
Other children
Louisa Jane b 28-2-1854
Alice b 7-12-1856, think that should be 1855 as birth reg is March 1856 Pancras
Can't find reg for Louisa
Both girls baptised 24-4-1858 St Pancras
parents Henry & Mary of 20 Ernest Street, I think
Officers servant
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Oh how sad but I guess not unusual at that time. I wonder if either of the surviving two daughters have a connection to Australia?
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1861
Henry Thornton b 1817 Reigate, Surrey
Private in Royal Horse Guards
Barracks, Upper Albany Street, Regents Park
piece 99 folio 44 page 15
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1871
Kensington Town home of L/Corporal of Royal Horse Guards
Henry Thornton b 1819 Reigate, Surrey
50 widower
Regimental batman Royal Horse Guards
and
Henry Thornton jr b 1852 Windsor 19 unmarried footman
Looking to see if he is the son
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He appears nice and regularly in the censuses, I mentioned the 1861 where he is to be found, described as already married, but I couldn't find his wife. Good spot of the wife's name.
In 1871 he is a batman on the personal staff living at the home of Lieutenant Colonel Duncan James Baillie of the Royal Horse Guards (later Lt General D J Baillie).
MaxD
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Windsor & Eton Express 6th February 1875
Death Of An Old Soldier
Henry Thornton, a trooper in the Royal Horse Guards died at the Regents Park Barracks a few days ago. He was the oldest soldier serving in the Household Brigade of Cavalry, and would have completed 39 years of service on Thursday, the day of his funeral.
He had been for nearly 26 years the faithful and attached servant of Colonel Duncan Baillie, by whom (as well as by all others connected with the Regiment) he was most deservedly respected and deeply regretted, for his unusual good conduct and kindness of heart.
He was buried on Thursday at Brompton Cemetery with full military honours. The funeral was attended by Colonel Baillie, his children and servants, as well as several officers of the Regiment.
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Wonderful! Thank you so much to all have contributed.
Kathryn.