There's bad news and good news... lots of it !
Bad news ??... This family Thornhill/Luke ( but really Tuke) had no connection with Newcastle other than the fact that soldier Bryan was stationed in Newcastle for a while and had son George there.
Bryan born Huntingdonshire, Wife Sophia born Dawlish, Devon, Mother-in-Law Sophia Tuke born Kent.
Then they all moved away from the north east.
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The National Trust site on surname profiles has Thornhill strong in north Midlands etc. My wee book " A Dictionary of English Place-Names" by A D Mills, has Thornhill derived from the Old English for "hill where thorn trees grow" and gives e.g.s for Thornhill in Yorkshire 1086, and Derbyshire 1200.
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The Good news...
The internet is absolutely brimming with info on the family...
*Bryan's family is tracked back on the IGI to 1600s
* Much info printed in Newspapers, including Times.
e.g. Edition of 9 Dec 1848 Ltnt Bryan Thornhill transferred from 2th Foot to 2nd Dragoon Guards
From "The Era" of 9 Dec 1849
" Marriage 4th dec at St John's Church Edinburgh, Bryan Thornhill, Esq, od Queen's Bays, son of George Thornhill Esq, MP of Diddington, Huntingdonshire, and Sophia Bradford, dtr of the late J Edgecumbe Tuke, Esq, of Dawlish, Devon.
- Son's birth reported in the Times of 11 Dec 1850
" Births.... On Sunday 8 inst at Eldon Square, Newcastle on Tyne, the lady of Bryan Thornhill Esq, Queens Dragoon Guards, of a son"
Dtr Charlotte'sd birth on 8 Feb 1852 in Norwich also reported.
FreeBMD has Bryan's death at 85 registered March Qtr 1911 at Maidenhead Reg District. Sophia at 82, reg June Qtr 1911 same Reg district.
C1861 Lancaster ref 3157-75-48
C1871 Lancaster 4231-66-11
C1881 1617-23-39
C1891 Dtrs... Maidenhead 1005-48-51
C1901 Maidenhead 1161-73-26 ( Bryan now Blind)
Bryan dies before 1911 census- Sophie doesn't !
Times 12 Mar 1853 - promoted to Captain - by purchase.
Then transferred to !st Duke of Lancashire Own Militia (16 April 1859)..oops
And lots more....
Michael
Newcastle
