Thornton, John, 1720-1790 (merchant and philanthropist)
Person
Dates
- Existence: 1720 - 1790
Biography
John Thornton (1720-1790) inherited a large fortune, which he invested in trade, and used to provide generous support to the first generation of 'Evangelicals' and to circulate immense quantities of bibles and religious books throughout the world, many of which were printed at his own expense. He also bought advowsons, which he used to appoint deserving clergymen, such as John Newton (1725-1807). In 1753 Thornton married Lucy (1722-1785), only daughter and heiress of Samuel Watson of Kingston-upon-Hull.
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Fonds
John Newton: Correspondence with John Thornton
Fonds
Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS Add.7826
Scope and Contents
MS.Add.7826/1/A. Letters, 1770-1783, from John Newton to John Thornton and his wife, 77 items. MS.Add.7826/1/B. Letters, 1772, from John Thornton to John Newton, 4 items.
Dates:
1770-1783
Conditions Governing Access:
Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
Found in:
Cambridge University Library
Fonds
Thornton Family: Letters and Papers
Fonds
Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS Add.7674
Scope and Contents
Letters, diaries, legal documents, formal recollections, and odd scraps of personal information, chronicling the life of the Thornton family and reflecting the social life of the times. The bulk of the material covers the lifetime of E.M. Forster's great aunt Marianne Thornton. In addition to such letters of her own which have survived, she and other members of the family transcribed much of the family correspondence in several volumes of handwritten copies of letters. These include letters...
Dates:
1742-1881 (Circa)
Conditions Governing Access:
Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
Found in:
Cambridge University Library
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- Battersea Rise, London 1
- France 1
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