Thrale history

Search • Advanced Search • Search Families • Search Site

First Name:   Last Name:   ID:  

Two years later, Caleb Lomax further complained that since Richard had died intestate, he could not obtain settlement of the tithe debt fron Richard's son and heir, Thomas, the latter later admitting however that Richard's estate was well able to pay this debt. It is curious to remember that it could not be long after this that the Smith family of St. Michaels took over the occupation of Kingsbury Farm. The administration of 'Richard Thrale of Sandridge, Widower' was granted to Thomas Thrale, natural and lawful son in 1756.¹⁷

Death must have come unexpectedly for such a substantial yeoman with a large family not to have made a will. Richard's altar tomb in Sandridge churchyard can still be seen, and was restored by his descendents in 1960. The east end reads 'this vault and tomb/executed by William: Norman/of Tokenhouse Yard/ citizen of London.' On the South side: 'adjoining to the side of this tomb/lie the remains of Mrs. Susannah Thrale/daughter of/Richard Thrale/died 15th November 1751 aged 23 years'. On the north side: 'adjoining to the side of this tomb/lie the remains of Mr. Richard Thrale/late of the Pound Farm, Sandridge/and husband of the above Mary Thrale/who died August 19 1755 aged 66 years'. The top slab reads 'Mary Thrale died September 24th 1749'. Richard had married Mary Manfield of Hertford in 1717 at Bengeo, and it is noteworthy that the name Street Farm changed to that of Pound Farm just about this time, as it is known to this day. Although the churchyard was levelled in 1966, this tomb with other Thrale memorials remained. Cussans recorded that in his time south and south west of the tower there were twenty two Thrale memorials 'few yeoman families being able to boast of a more respectable ancestry'.

Thus it was at the Court Baron held in 1756 that Thomas Thrale was admitted to the farmhouse in Sandridge Street, as heir of his father Richard, and again the same land passed hands - Further Butt Field, Dell Field, Hether Butts Field, and Bentsley Field, as well as the cottage in Sandridge Street, known from Feeling's reports to be called Goldsmith's. Thus Thomas inherited the Street or Pound Farm, and it would appear that there was a happy relationship between him and his brothers Ralph and John and three sisters Mary, Anne and Susannah. It will be recalled that it was in 1765 that Thomas took occupation of Fairfolds Farm, the farm having been held by the female descendents of John Thrale of London. Both Mary, Ralph and John lived there, Mary having married Edmund Hawkins of Wandon End, Kings Walden at Sandridge in 1769. When Hawkins died in 1791 he well provided for Mary, but

Footnotes

17. P.C.C. Admon Act Brooks 1756.↩︎