Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 56.djvu/313

 1163); but on 12 June 1815, in opposing Grenfell's motion with respect to the profits of the bank, he declared himself anxious to limit the issue of notes and to resume cash payments as soon as it could safely be done. At the same time he repeated his objections to the interference of parliament with the bank (ib. xxxi. 769–70). When, on 3 May 1816, he made a further statement as to the intentions of the bank directors, William Huskisson [q. v.] expressed himself satisfied (ib. xxxiv. 248). Speaking on Brougham's motion of March 1817 in favour of changes in commercial policy, Thornton declared in favour of some reduction of tariffs, but supported ministers on the main question. On 15 April of the following year he spoke and voted in favour of a reduction of the Duke of Clarence's allowance, which was carried against ministers. His last important speech (1 May 1818) was in opposition to George Tierney's proposal for a select committee to consider the desirability of a resumption of cash payments. He still thought this inexpedient, owing to foreign loans and bad harvests (ib. xxxviii. 493–4).

Thornton, who was a governor of Greenwich Hospital and president of Guy's, died at his house in Brighton on 3 July 1838. A portrait was engraved by Charles Turner from a painting by Thomas Phillips. By his wife Elizabeth, only daughter of Robert Milnes, esq., of Fryston Hall, Yorkshire, he had three sons and four daughters.

Their eldest son, (1783–1861), born on 31 Oct. 1783, graduated at Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A. 1804, M.A. 1809), where he was intimate with Charles Grant (afterwards lord Glenelg) [q. v.] and Robert (afterwards Sir Robert) Grant [q. v.] He was also a friend of Reginald Heber [q. v.] He was successively commissioner of the boards of audit, stamps, and inland revenue, and succeeded his uncle, Henry Thornton [q. v.], as treasurer of the Church Missionary Society and Bible Society. He died at Clapham on 29 Oct. 1861. His wife Eliza, daughter of Edward Parry and niece of Lord Bexley, published ‘Lady Alice: a Ballad Romance,’ 1842, 8vo; ‘The Marchioness: a Tale,’ 2 vols. 8vo, 1842; ‘Truth and Falsehood: a Romance,’ 3 vols. 8vo, 1847. He had six sons and four daughters. Of the former, three entered the Indian civil service. The second, Edward Parry Thornton, is separately noticed.

[Ann. Reg. 1838 (App. to Chron.), p. 218; Public Characters, 1823; Colquhoun's Wilberforce and his Friends, pp. 269, 270; Francis's Hist. of the Bank of England, passim; Parl. Hist. and Parl. Deb. 1784–1818, passim; Ret. Memb. Parl.; Men of the Reign; Evans's Cat. Engr. Portraits, No. 22088; Gent. Mag. 1861, ii. 694; Allibone's Dict. Engl. Lit.]

 THORNTON, THOMAS (d. 1814), writer on Turkey, elder son of William Thornton, an innkeeper of London, and brother of Sir Edward Thornton (1766–1852) [q. v.], was engaged in commerce from an early age. About 1793 he was sent to the British factory at Constantinople, where he resided fourteen years, making a stay of fifteen months at Odessa, and paying frequent visits to Asia Minor and the islands of the Archipelago. After his return to England he published in 1807 ‘The Present State of Turkey’ (London, 4to; 2nd edit. 1809, 8vo), in which, after a brief summary of Ottoman history, he gave a minute and comprehensive account of the political and social institutions of the Turkish empire. Thornton possessed an intimate knowledge of his subject, both from his long residence at Constantinople and from his friendship with the European ambassadors. His work is a valuable contemporary study of the Ottoman empire. The chapter on the military organisation is probably superior to any former account. That on the financial system is clear and perspicuous, though necessarily his knowledge of many branches of the subject was limited. Thornton is extremely favourable to the Turks, protesting against the abuse poured on them in former works owing to their friendship with France. He severely attacked William Eton's ‘Survey of the Turkish Empire’ (1798), and drew from Eton in reply ‘A Letter to the Earl of D … on the Political Relations of Russia in regard to Turkey, Greece, and France’ (1807).

About the end of 1813 Thornton was appointed consul to the Levant Company, but when on the eve of setting out for Alexandria he died at Burnham, Buckinghamshire, on 28 March 1814. While at Constantinople he married Sophie Zohrab, the daughter of a Greek merchant, by whom he had a large family. His youngest son, William Thomas Thornton, is separately noticed.

[Gent. Mag. 1814, ii. 418; Allibone's Dict. of Engl. Lit.]

 THORNTON, THOMAS (1757–1823), sportsman, was the son of William Thornton of Thornville Royal (now Stourton), Yorkshire. The father in 1745 raised a troop of volunteers which marched against the young Pretender (Gent. Mag. 1758, p. 538), was M.P. for York, 1747–54 and 1758–61, and colonel of the West Riding militia, and died in 1769. His mother was the daughter of