Constituency Dates
York 1 Dec. 1758 – 1761
Family and Education
b. ?1712, s. of Sir William Thornton of York by his w. Elizabeth. educ. Mr. Jackson’s sch., York; St. John’s, Camb. 27 Mar. 1731, aged 18. m. (1) Isabella (d. 25 Feb. 1748), o. da. of William Norton of Sawley, Yorks.;1M.I. at Kirk Deighton, ex inf. K. Workman. (2) 11 July 1749, Mary, da. of John Myster of Epsom, Surr., 1s. 1da.
Address
Main residence: Cattal, nr. York.
biography text

Thornton, whose father had been knighted for presenting an address from Yorkshire on the Union in 1707, raised at his own expense a company of foot in the Forty-five, taking part in the battle of Falkirk. Returned as a government supporter for York in 1747, he went into opposition in 1751, speaking against the Administration on the navy estimates, 23 Nov., the army, 28 Nov., and the land tax, 5 Dec.2Walpole, Mems. Geo. II, i. 213, 218. In 1752 he published a pamphlet entitled The Counterpoise: being thoughts on a militia and a standing army, following this by a bill for improving the militia, which did not get beyond the report stage.3C. Collyer, ‘The Rockinghams and Yorkshire Politics, 1742-61’, Thoresby Misc. xii (1954), 371-2. He did not stand in 1754 and died 10 July 1769.

Author
R.R.S.
Volume
Commons 1715-1754
Notes
  • 1. M.I. at Kirk Deighton, ex inf. K. Workman.
  • 2. Walpole, Mems. Geo. II, i. 213, 218.
  • 3. C. Collyer, ‘The Rockinghams and Yorkshire Politics, 1742-61’, Thoresby Misc. xii (1954), 371-2.