Background
THORNTON, Thomas Henry was born on October 31, 1832. 2nd son of Thomas and Elizabeth Thornton, London, and b. of late Venerable Archdeacon Thornton and of Right Reverend Samuel Thornton.
THORNTON, Thomas Henry was born on October 31, 1832. 2nd son of Thomas and Elizabeth Thornton, London, and b. of late Venerable Archdeacon Thornton and of Right Reverend Samuel Thornton.
Studied at Merchant Taylors’ School. St. John’s College, Oxford. Honours in Classics; Law and Modern History.
Pusey and Ellerton Hebrew Scholar. Doctor of Civil Law.
Fellow of St. John’s College, Oxfordshire. 1855-1862; Bengal Civil Service 1856-1881 (one of the first appointed by open competition). Honourably mentioned by Sir John Lawrence for services in Mutiny of 1857.
Secretary to Punjab Government, 1864-1876- (twice left temporarily in charge of Administration). Acting Foreign Secretary to Government of India, 1876-1877 (President of Imperial Assemblage Committee). Judge of Chief Court of Punjab and member of Legislative Council of India, 1878-1881.
Fellow of University of Calcutta, 1875. Vice-President University College Lahore, 1879. Chairman of Wandsworth Bench of Magistrates, 1885-1900.
Visiting Justice Wandsworth Prison, 1883-1898. Member of Standing Joint Committeeof Court of Quarter Sessions and County Council of London since 1892. Decorated in recognition of services as Secretary to Punjab Government and Acting Foreign Secretary to Government of India. V.P.R.A.S., etc.; Justice of the Peace, Cos. Surrey and London.
Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Clubs: Athenaeum; Bath and County, Bath.
Spouse 1862, Alfreda (d. 1904), 2nddaughter of J. C. Spender, Bath and Englishcombe.