Alice Thornton's Books
@thorntonsbooks.bsky.social
We were an AHRC-funded project (Sept. 2021-Feb. 2025), based at the University of Edinburgh. Our main output was a digital edition of the books of Yorkshire gentlewoman, Alice Wandesford Thornton (1626-1707). See http://thornton.kdl.kcl.ac.uk
20 Nov. 1666 #OTD Thomas Comber wrote to Alice Thornton's daughter from London to say that his old tutor, William Holland, had offered him one of his daughters in marriage and a living of £100 a year. Nally replied to him four days later and the couple married two years later. #EarlyModern 🗃️
November 20, 2025 at 4:27 PM
20 Nov. 1666 #OTD Thomas Comber wrote to Alice Thornton's daughter from London to say that his old tutor, William Holland, had offered him one of his daughters in marriage and a living of £100 a year. Nally replied to him four days later and the couple married two years later. #EarlyModern 🗃️
16 Nov. 1665 #OTD Alice's husband, William, had a 'fit of the Palsey [paralysis or weakness of part of the body, sometime with a tremor]' (Bk 1), on his way home from York. He was taken to nearby Brandsby Hall, Stearsby. There he endured three days of convulsions and a fever. #EarlyModern 🗃️
November 16, 2025 at 5:26 PM
16 Nov. 1665 #OTD Alice's husband, William, had a 'fit of the Palsey [paralysis or weakness of part of the body, sometime with a tremor]' (Bk 1), on his way home from York. He was taken to nearby Brandsby Hall, Stearsby. There he endured three days of convulsions and a fever. #EarlyModern 🗃️
12 Nov 1667 #OTD Christopher, Alice Thornton's ninth and final child, was baptised at East Newton Hall, the family home, having been born the previous day: 'His godfathers and godmother were my brother Denton, my brother Portington and Mrs Anne Danby'. (Bk 1). #EarlyModern 🗃️
November 12, 2025 at 4:59 PM
12 Nov 1667 #OTD Christopher, Alice Thornton's ninth and final child, was baptised at East Newton Hall, the family home, having been born the previous day: 'His godfathers and godmother were my brother Denton, my brother Portington and Mrs Anne Danby'. (Bk 1). #EarlyModern 🗃️
11 Nov. 1651 #OTD William Thornton wrote to Alice's mother, Alice Wandesford, about the protracted marriage settlement negotiations. He wanted to include lands which were part of his mother's jointure but his stepfather, Geoffrey Gates, was refusing to give legal consent. #EarlyModern 🗃️
November 11, 2025 at 8:01 PM
11 Nov. 1651 #OTD William Thornton wrote to Alice's mother, Alice Wandesford, about the protracted marriage settlement negotiations. He wanted to include lands which were part of his mother's jointure but his stepfather, Geoffrey Gates, was refusing to give legal consent. #EarlyModern 🗃️
10 Nov. 1668 #OTD Alice Thornton wrote to her cousin Lady Mary Yorke declining her offer to take teenager Nally, Thornton's daughter and Yorke's god-daughter, to be confirmed by the bishop, knowing it was part of a plot to prevent Nally's marriage to Thomas Comber. #EarlyModern 🗃️
November 10, 2025 at 9:22 PM
10 Nov. 1668 #OTD Alice Thornton wrote to her cousin Lady Mary Yorke declining her offer to take teenager Nally, Thornton's daughter and Yorke's god-daughter, to be confirmed by the bishop, knowing it was part of a plot to prevent Nally's marriage to Thomas Comber. #EarlyModern 🗃️
8 Nov. 1668 #OTD Alice Thornton received a letter from her former servant. Daphne Lightfoot had uncovered a plot to prevent the marriage of Thornton's daughter Nally to Thomas Comber. Thornton writes, 'there was a conspiracy between Dr Samways, Mrs Danby and my Lady Yorke' (Bk3). 1/2 #EarlyModern 🗃️
November 8, 2025 at 1:41 PM
8 Nov. 1668 #OTD Alice Thornton received a letter from her former servant. Daphne Lightfoot had uncovered a plot to prevent the marriage of Thornton's daughter Nally to Thomas Comber. Thornton writes, 'there was a conspiracy between Dr Samways, Mrs Danby and my Lady Yorke' (Bk3). 1/2 #EarlyModern 🗃️
5 Nov. 1668 #OTD Thomas Comber went to York to apply for a licence to marry Alice Thornton's eldest daughter, Nally. They would be married 12 days later. The significance of the date was not lost on Thornton, who was a devout Protestant and royalist. #EarlyModern 🗃️ #GuyFawkes #BonfireNight 1/3
November 5, 2025 at 1:47 PM
5 Nov. 1668 #OTD Thomas Comber went to York to apply for a licence to marry Alice Thornton's eldest daughter, Nally. They would be married 12 days later. The significance of the date was not lost on Thornton, who was a devout Protestant and royalist. #EarlyModern 🗃️ #GuyFawkes #BonfireNight 1/3
4 Nov. 1667 Alice Thornton, aged 41, went into labour with her 9th and final child, Christopher #OTD: 'I fell into pangs of labour about the 4th of November being very ill, and so continued by fits all that week' (BkRem). Christopher was born a week later on 11 Nov. #EarlyModern 🗃️
November 4, 2025 at 8:09 PM
4 Nov. 1667 Alice Thornton, aged 41, went into labour with her 9th and final child, Christopher #OTD: 'I fell into pangs of labour about the 4th of November being very ill, and so continued by fits all that week' (BkRem). Christopher was born a week later on 11 Nov. #EarlyModern 🗃️
According to Book 2, Alice Thornton #OTD 3 Nov. 1658 gave evidence at Hipswell before a Master of Chancery. She deposed that her father, Christopher Wandesford, had made a will in Ireland in 1640. The will had since gone missing and its contents were disputed. 1/2 #EarlyModern 📜 🗃️
November 3, 2025 at 8:26 PM
According to Book 2, Alice Thornton #OTD 3 Nov. 1658 gave evidence at Hipswell before a Master of Chancery. She deposed that her father, Christopher Wandesford, had made a will in Ireland in 1640. The will had since gone missing and its contents were disputed. 1/2 #EarlyModern 📜 🗃️
Kirklington Hall, where Alice Wandesford Thornton was born in 1626, has a ghost 👻 associated with it known as the Grey Lady. It is also said that if the enormous old trunk, which once contained all the Wandesford family papers, was moved from the Hall then disaster will follow. Spooky! #Halloween 🗃️
October 31, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Kirklington Hall, where Alice Wandesford Thornton was born in 1626, has a ghost 👻 associated with it known as the Grey Lady. It is also said that if the enormous old trunk, which once contained all the Wandesford family papers, was moved from the Hall then disaster will follow. Spooky! #Halloween 🗃️
27 Oct. 1698 #OTD Thornton wrote to her great-nephew, Abstrupus Danby, about her daughter Katherine's proposed 2nd marriage to Robert Danby of Northallerton: 'she has given now promise without the consent of friends and there is more in the case to see her utter ruin'. #EarlyModern 📜 🗃️
October 27, 2025 at 1:35 PM
27 Oct. 1698 #OTD Thornton wrote to her great-nephew, Abstrupus Danby, about her daughter Katherine's proposed 2nd marriage to Robert Danby of Northallerton: 'she has given now promise without the consent of friends and there is more in the case to see her utter ruin'. #EarlyModern 📜 🗃️
24 Oct. 1677 #OTD Alice Thornton, with her daughter Alice and son-in-law Thomas Comber, went to Malton 'for the first time since the death of her husband ... to pay her respects to his relations, which she was desirous of doing from the regard she had to his memory'. William had died in Sept. 1668.
October 24, 2025 at 9:29 AM
24 Oct. 1677 #OTD Alice Thornton, with her daughter Alice and son-in-law Thomas Comber, went to Malton 'for the first time since the death of her husband ... to pay her respects to his relations, which she was desirous of doing from the regard she had to his memory'. William had died in Sept. 1668.
23 Oct. 1641 #OTD Alice Thornton (then Wandesford) was living in Dublin and the Irish Rebellion reached the city: ‘we were forced upon the alarm to leave our house and fly into the castle that night with all my mother's family and what goods she could' (Book 1, 66). #EarlyModern 🗃️
October 23, 2025 at 1:34 PM
23 Oct. 1641 #OTD Alice Thornton (then Wandesford) was living in Dublin and the Irish Rebellion reached the city: ‘we were forced upon the alarm to leave our house and fly into the castle that night with all my mother's family and what goods she could' (Book 1, 66). #EarlyModern 🗃️
20 Oct. 1668 #OTD Thornton received a letter and one of her Books back from her aunt Anne Norton, via her servant Daphne Lightfoot: 'which did abundantly please and satisfy her and said that it was not writ as if a weak woman might have done it but might have become a divine' (Bk 3, 197). 1/3 🗃️
October 20, 2025 at 4:54 PM
20 Oct. 1668 #OTD Thornton received a letter and one of her Books back from her aunt Anne Norton, via her servant Daphne Lightfoot: 'which did abundantly please and satisfy her and said that it was not writ as if a weak woman might have done it but might have become a divine' (Bk 3, 197). 1/3 🗃️
18 Oct. 1668 #OTD Thornton received a letter from her uncle, Lord John Frescheville, consoling her 'on the death of my dear husband and that he will ever be my friend and assistant in all my concerns' (Bk3). Frescheville was her mother's half-brother and was made 1st Baron Frescheville in 1665. 🗃️
October 18, 2025 at 1:38 PM
18 Oct. 1668 #OTD Thornton received a letter from her uncle, Lord John Frescheville, consoling her 'on the death of my dear husband and that he will ever be my friend and assistant in all my concerns' (Bk3). Frescheville was her mother's half-brother and was made 1st Baron Frescheville in 1665. 🗃️
12 Oct. 1668 #otd Thornton received a letter from Lady Wyvill, consoling her on the death of her husband: 'Lady Wyvill's most Christian letter to me after Mr Thornton's death and that she had sent for Daphne to acquaint her of my abuses and that Daphne had told her of my sad condition'. (Bk3) 🗃️
October 12, 2025 at 12:18 PM
12 Oct. 1668 #otd Thornton received a letter from Lady Wyvill, consoling her on the death of her husband: 'Lady Wyvill's most Christian letter to me after Mr Thornton's death and that she had sent for Daphne to acquaint her of my abuses and that Daphne had told her of my sad condition'. (Bk3) 🗃️
9 Oct. 1677 #OTD Alice Thornton told her brother, Sir Christopher Wandesford, that she had written to Lady Ayscough to help negotiate a marriage between one of his daughters and the Ayscoughs’ son but could not visit her in person: ‘I find not myself able to walk down the hills’. #EarlyModern 🗃️ 📜
October 9, 2025 at 2:01 PM
9 Oct. 1677 #OTD Alice Thornton told her brother, Sir Christopher Wandesford, that she had written to Lady Ayscough to help negotiate a marriage between one of his daughters and the Ayscoughs’ son but could not visit her in person: ‘I find not myself able to walk down the hills’. #EarlyModern 🗃️ 📜
8 Oct. 1688 #OTD Thornton wrote to her great-nephew, Abstrupus Danby, seeking help with her son’s debts. She reminded him ‘how sad and necessitous a condition your father and mother ... were in for several years when their just right was detained from them and they cast off by all’. #EarlyModern 1/2
October 8, 2025 at 3:15 PM
8 Oct. 1688 #OTD Thornton wrote to her great-nephew, Abstrupus Danby, seeking help with her son’s debts. She reminded him ‘how sad and necessitous a condition your father and mother ... were in for several years when their just right was detained from them and they cast off by all’. #EarlyModern 1/2
6 Oct. 1636 #OTD a young Alice, her mother and brothers were in a coach accident on the way to Kildare. The driver was worried they would all fall into a river and drown and so did ‘throw the coach' towards the other side 'which did hurt some of us’ (Bk 1). #EarlyModern 🗃️
October 6, 2025 at 12:01 PM
6 Oct. 1636 #OTD a young Alice, her mother and brothers were in a coach accident on the way to Kildare. The driver was worried they would all fall into a river and drown and so did ‘throw the coach' towards the other side 'which did hurt some of us’ (Bk 1). #EarlyModern 🗃️
3 Oct. 1700 #OTD Alice Thornton’s daughter, Alice Comber, gave bond of £2000 to prove the will of her late husband, Thomas Comber. In his will he left Alice Thornton £10 for mourning dress and specified that the annuity he had paid her since 1692 should continue. #EarlyModern 🗃️
October 3, 2025 at 2:08 PM
3 Oct. 1700 #OTD Alice Thornton’s daughter, Alice Comber, gave bond of £2000 to prove the will of her late husband, Thomas Comber. In his will he left Alice Thornton £10 for mourning dress and specified that the annuity he had paid her since 1692 should continue. #EarlyModern 🗃️
#NationalPoetryDay Thornton included poetry in her books. E.g.
'Lord, guide my heart, and give my soul direction,
Subdue my passions, curb my stout affections,
Nip thou the bud, before the bloom begins:
Lord, the ever one, keep me from presumptuous sins.'
(Bk Rem, 5) #EarlyModern 📜 📚 1/2
'Lord, guide my heart, and give my soul direction,
Subdue my passions, curb my stout affections,
Nip thou the bud, before the bloom begins:
Lord, the ever one, keep me from presumptuous sins.'
(Bk Rem, 5) #EarlyModern 📜 📚 1/2
October 2, 2025 at 8:11 PM
#NationalPoetryDay Thornton included poetry in her books. E.g.
'Lord, guide my heart, and give my soul direction,
Subdue my passions, curb my stout affections,
Nip thou the bud, before the bloom begins:
Lord, the ever one, keep me from presumptuous sins.'
(Bk Rem, 5) #EarlyModern 📜 📚 1/2
'Lord, guide my heart, and give my soul direction,
Subdue my passions, curb my stout affections,
Nip thou the bud, before the bloom begins:
Lord, the ever one, keep me from presumptuous sins.'
(Bk Rem, 5) #EarlyModern 📜 📚 1/2
23 Sept. 1656 #OTD Alice Thornton’s 8th child, Joyce, was born at East Newton about 4 o’clock in the afternoon; ‘it pleased the Lord to make me happy in a goodly strong child, a daughter, after an exceedingly sharp and perilous time’ (Book 1).
#EarlyModern 🗃️
#EarlyModern 🗃️
September 23, 2025 at 7:38 PM
23 Sept. 1656 #OTD Alice Thornton’s 8th child, Joyce, was born at East Newton about 4 o’clock in the afternoon; ‘it pleased the Lord to make me happy in a goodly strong child, a daughter, after an exceedingly sharp and perilous time’ (Book 1).
#EarlyModern 🗃️
#EarlyModern 🗃️
20 Sept. 1662 #OTD Thornton’s 7th child, Robert, was baptised by Mr Lowcock in her chamber at East Newton Hall. His godparents were Dr Robert Wittie (who treated Thornton during pregnancy), Henry Best (her nephew-in-law) and Katherine Cholmley (who assisted at the birth). 1/3 #EarlyModern 🗃️
September 20, 2025 at 12:09 PM
20 Sept. 1662 #OTD Thornton’s 7th child, Robert, was baptised by Mr Lowcock in her chamber at East Newton Hall. His godparents were Dr Robert Wittie (who treated Thornton during pregnancy), Henry Best (her nephew-in-law) and Katherine Cholmley (who assisted at the birth). 1/3 #EarlyModern 🗃️
19 Sept. 1662 #OTD Alice Thornton’s 7th
child, Robert, was born ‘at East Newton between the
hours of 8 and 9 o'clock at night having been since the
night before in strong labour with him’ (Book 2). He
was Thornton's only son to live to adulthood but he
died before her in 1692. #EarlyModern 🗃️
child, Robert, was born ‘at East Newton between the
hours of 8 and 9 o'clock at night having been since the
night before in strong labour with him’ (Book 2). He
was Thornton's only son to live to adulthood but he
died before her in 1692. #EarlyModern 🗃️
September 19, 2025 at 4:01 PM
19 Sept. 1662 #OTD Alice Thornton’s 7th
child, Robert, was born ‘at East Newton between the
hours of 8 and 9 o'clock at night having been since the
night before in strong labour with him’ (Book 2). He
was Thornton's only son to live to adulthood but he
died before her in 1692. #EarlyModern 🗃️
child, Robert, was born ‘at East Newton between the
hours of 8 and 9 o'clock at night having been since the
night before in strong labour with him’ (Book 2). He
was Thornton's only son to live to adulthood but he
died before her in 1692. #EarlyModern 🗃️
18 Sept. 1668 #OTD Alice Thornton’s husband, William, was buried: ‘My dearest heart was interred in his own alley at Stonegrave Church near his mother and two babes, Christopher and Joyce’ (Bk 1). The aisle was levelled in 1863 and most Thornton tombstones were buried. #EarlyModern 🗃️
September 18, 2025 at 5:51 PM
18 Sept. 1668 #OTD Alice Thornton’s husband, William, was buried: ‘My dearest heart was interred in his own alley at Stonegrave Church near his mother and two babes, Christopher and Joyce’ (Bk 1). The aisle was levelled in 1863 and most Thornton tombstones were buried. #EarlyModern 🗃️