Thrale history

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Crawly, a youngster who helped to drive a stake through his body told it to William Thrale who repeats this to me. J. Griffith, who is copying it from his lips.⁴⁴ Apparently William always liked to recount his anecdotes assisted by display of actual (or so he purported!) relics. One must admit however that the two separate accounts are remarkably similar

They must have been halcyon days at No Mans Land during the late nineteenth century for these country yeoman squires - peace, prosperity and security. Even the weather was kind. A Herts Advertiser report of late October 1865 reported that as a result of the late extraordinary mildness of the season an apple tree in a gentleman's garden in Victoria Road had blossomed a second time. Further, Mr. Thrale of No Mans Land, set before his guests a dish of green peas and mint. The peas had been of spontaneous growth, having sprung up from peas which dropped from the pods in the last Summer. The first of the old bachelors to go was Ralph Norman in 1876, his will proved by his brother William, who in turn passed on in 1884, his will and administration being annexed to Henry Mardall of Harpenden, brewer, the great nephew.⁴⁵ This will also specifically requested that the Thrale Collection should not be dispersed but kept preserved as a collection. It was given into the safekeeping of Daniel Mardall. Because of the latter's earlier death however, a codicil was added to the will bequeathing the Collection to Henry Mardall on the same terms, but alas, the Collection was not preserved. By the same Codicil, £20 was left to William's nephews Norman and Thomas Thrale, and a further £20 to his house-keeper Sophia Plummer. One of the witnesses was John Griffith of Sandridge Park.

In 1966 nearly all memorial stones were removed from Sandridge churchyard. The stones of the two old brothers are still to be seen however near the lych gate, sleeping side by side, near to faithful Sophia Plummer who looked after them as their housekeeper for so many years. No Mans Land Farmhouse is still there, little changed, although in 1965 it became a sheep research station and then the home of the West family. Many of the hedges have been removed, giving the countryside an unusual aspect to those accustomed to the normal patchwork quilt look of the ever eroding countryside. Much of No Mans Land Common was ploughed during the second World War, and the many acres of heath and scrub disappeared. It still remains a fine open space however in spite of the incomprehensible decisions of contemporary bureaucratic planners, and were the old brothers to return, they would still see much they knew.

Footnotes

44. Griffith Papers Herts Muniment Room.↩︎
45. Probate Registry & Prerogative Court 1851-1890.↩︎