Robert Thornewill 1799-1858
Robert was born in 1799, the eldest child (of ten) of John Thornewill and Mary nee Mason.
He was married by licence 09 September 1823 in Matlock to Barbara nee Hunt. She died, and was buried on 10 January 1837 in Burton-upon-Trent. They had no children.
He was married 22 April 1840 in Eyam, Derbyshire to Martha Hammond nee Wright
They had three sons:-
Rev. Charles Francis, born 1841
Robert , born 30 October 1843 in Burton-o-Trent
Arthur, born 21 April 1853
He ran the Company.
He died in Burton upon Trent in July 1858, aged 58.
Barbara Hunt
Barbara was born in 1802. She died, and was buried on 10 January 1837 in Burton-upon-Trent. She had no children.
Martha Hammond Wright
Martha was born in 1807, and christened in the Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul, Sheffield on 26 February 1807.
She was the fifth of the six children of John William Wright (born 1772) and Alathea Younge (1759–1811) who were married on 10 December 1795 in Sheffield.
When Martha's husband died, their eldest son was 17, and went into the Church, while the second son Robert, who eventually took over the business, was only 15. But Martha stepped up to the plate and ran the engineering business - MOST unusual for a woman, but particularly in that era.
There is more at Derbyshire Record Office, but not on-line.
She had an Album holding a few photographs and over a hundred Cartes de Visite, of which only about half a dozen have writing on the back - one says, "Aged 85!" but doesn't say who it is ! One is of a soldier who fought at Waterloo.
More to follow
