Samuel Thornton
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| Samuel Thornton | |
| Born | November 6, 1754 Clapham |
|---|---|
| Died | July 3, 1838 (aged 83) Brighton[1] |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Politician, Abolitionist and Governor of the Bank of England |
| Religious beliefs | Anglican |
| Parents | John Thornton |
Samuel Thornton (6 November 1754 – 3 July 1838) was one of the sons of John Thornton, a leading merchant in the Russian and Baltic trade, and was a director of the Bank of England for 53 years[2][1] and Governor (1799-1801). He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingston upon Hull (with William Wilberforce in 1784) from 1784 to 1806 and for Surrey from 1807 to 1812. He and was a member of the Committee for the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts.
As MP for Kingston he was painted by Karl Anton Hickel in the group portrait "William Pitt addressing the House of Commons on the French Declaration of War, 1793" which still hangs at the National Portrait Gallery[3].
He bought Albury Manor, Albury, Surrey in 1800, and lived there until 1811. He employed the architect Sir John Soane[4] to improve the property.
During the early 1800s Thornton built housing in the hamlet of Weston Street, a mile to the west of Albury, for the resettlement of villagers removed from cottages in Albury Park, as part of the agricultural improvements.
His brothers Henry Thornton and Robert Thornton were also notable men of their time and MPs[1]. all three were members of the Clapham Sect and lived in adjoining houses in Clapham[5].
[edit] References
- ^ a b c [09 1838] Gentlemen's Magazine. London: F. Jefferies, 326. Retrieved on 12.
- ^ Macleod, Henry Dunning [1856]. The Theory and Practice of Banking. London: Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer, 194. Retrieved on 18.
- ^ Nation Portrait Gallery Information - Samuel Thornton. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
- ^ Soane Website. Retrieved on 2008-02-12.
- ^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - Clapham Sect (May2007). Retrieved on 2008-02-12.
| Preceded by David Hartley |
MP for Kingston-Upon-Hull March 1784–1806 |
Succeeded by William Joseph Denison |
| Preceded by Lord William Russell |
MP for Surrey 1807–1812 |
Succeeded by Sir Thomas Sutton |
| Preceded by Sir Thomas Sutton |
MP for Surrey 1813–1818 |
Succeeded by William Joseph Denison |
| Preceded by Thomas Raikes |
Govenor of the Bank of England 1799–1801 |
Succeeded by Job Matthew |
