Better a late reply than no reply.
I can't confirm if this gamekeeper and Anne (Annie) Thornton were officially married but perhaps I can add a few bits of the jigsaw puzzle about James Wade's whereabouts and his employers names.
I did live near to the Lawn Farm near Meakeaton Park and now houses are built on the farm and Derby Rugby Social club is there (or it was when I moved to SE Asia in 2001).
According to a newspaper report in 1869 of a marriage at nearby Mackworth, Derby. Mary Thornton was the eldest daughter of late George Thornton and wife Mary. Perhaps you could check records of the Mackworth church for Anne (Annie) Thornton?
BTW Mansfield is in Nottinghamshire (not Derbyshire).
I looked at
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk and put their names separately in the search box:
Published: Saturday 13 April 1867, Newspaper: Nottingham Journal, County Nottinghamshire, England:
—George Priestley was charged, remand, with pursuing game on certain lands in the parish of Newark, on the 3Uth ult.—. James Wade, gamekeeper to J. Thorpe, Esq., said on the ult. he .was near the Newark Rifle Corps butts, and saw Priestley up Mr. Cooper’s ... "
Published: Saturday 18 October 1879, Newspaper: Weston Mercury, County: Somerset, England:
AXUEIDQE PETTY SESSIONS .. dismissed the first charge, and fined him Is. for the last offtnee, la. damage and costs. Edward Roger was summoned by James wade, gamekeeper, in the employ Mr. Edward Body, Wrington, for trespassing on his lands in search of conies on the 2nd inst.-Prosecutor ... "
Friday 07 May 1869, Newspaper: Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal, County: Derbyshire, England
"MARRIAGES . Middle Hill. Toplis—Thornton —On the 28th ult.. at Mackworth Church, by the Rev. Wm. Gilder, M.A., vicar, Mr. Thomas Toplis, of Wenlock, Salop, to Mary, eldest daughter of the late Mr. George Thornton, of the Lawn Farm, Markeaton. Rowland ... "
" MARKEATON, NEAR DERBY. Messrs. Cumberland and sons are instructed bv the representatives the late Mrs. Thornton, to SELL AUCIION, tho Lawn Farm, MONDAY, April 2lst, 1890, the whole of the Live and Dead FARM .STO-'K. o)mpri«iing— BEASTS, via. ... "
Andy_T
