although intensely jealous of Ralph - both Ralph and his father were remarkably good looking - he did not follow a common rule of dismissing a person who becomes indispensable. He was too fond of visiting the Viscountess and canvassing the borough. Edmund's jealousy of Ralph explains the latter's hard start at the brewery and the fact that he was left nothing in Halsey's will. In spite of this, only a short time after Halsey's death, Lord Cobham sold the Anchor Brewery to his wife's cousin Ralph for £30,000. How he did this on six shillings a week is a mystery in the same way as Edmund Halsey's purchase of his partership is not really known. Hester Lynch Thrale says he found the money out of savings! Boswell states that he gave security on the property and discharged the debt in eleven years. Ralph Thrale lived until 1758, amassed a large fortune, and became M.P. for Southwark in 1741, the era of defeat for Walpole. He was also High Sheriff for Surrey. Of his wife Mary, one knows nothing, which seems regrettable and rather sad. By his will almost all the estate went to Henry, with certain bequests to his daughters, and again a bequest to his sister Mrs. Smith - always the connecting link (13) For such an estate, his will is remarkable for its simplicity.
Ralph Thrale had a very vigorous business life as recorded in many Chancery conflicts. Such cases occurred eleven times between 1732 and 1752, all concerning business matters. (14) Such businessmen as Ralph were becoming part of the landed gentry. Many of the 'County Families' founded their dynasties after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, as has already been remarked. They extended their estates by purchase and marriage. The proximity of London and the belief that land was the best investment in troubled times led to a constant influx of rich London merchants buying their way into the landed gentry of the County, and Hertfordshire especially. This can be seen in the complex transactions between the Thrales, the Gurneys, and the Barclays, and between the Whitbreads and William Wilshere, the Hitchin attorney. (15) This was one of the reasons for Boswell disliking the Thrales. Boswell was descended from an ancient line of Scottish lairds and being very intelligent he could discern that the Thrales were representative of a new rising middle class, confident, able, and cultured, well capable of conducting the country's affairs in partnership with the old established aristocracy. Being a complete snob, Boswell resented the growth of influence by such a new class.
Ralph Thrale's son Henry, both at School and at Oxford, was encoura
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Owner of original
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Richard William Thrale
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File name
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histories/tree01-book-new-thraliana/new-thraliana-070.html
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2.56 KB
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Media ID
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962
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Dimensions
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n/a
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Folio version
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v13.0.0.33 (B240424-085038)
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Linked to
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Richard Thrale/Dorothy Fuller; John Thrale/Sarah Jaques; Richard Grunwyn/Mary Thrale; Onslow Teddar/Mary Thrale; Richard Thrale/Martha Aylward; Robert Penn/Sarah Thrale; male Penn/; John Thrale/Margaret Chaplin; Richard Palmer/Sarah Thrale; Ralph Thrale/Elizabeth Grunwyn; William Thrale/Margaret Smyth; John Grindon/Abigail Thrale; male White/female Pemberton; male White/female Grindon; male Gale/female White; Charles Gale/female Wood; male Wood/female ?; James White/Jeanie Joubert; male Joubert/Bothia Collins; male Sergeant/female Joubert; male Andrews/; Thomas Thrale/Elizabeth Andrews; Ralph Thrale/Mary Crouch; Richard William Thrale; Hester Lynch Salusbury; Hannah Maria Green; Ernest Norman Thrale; Richard Thrale; Richard Thrale; John Thrale; John Thrale; Margaret Thrale; John Thrale; Richard Thrale; Robert Thrale; Robert Thrale; Thomas Thrale; Alban Thrale; Alice ; Jane ; Nicholas Thrale; Francis Thrale; Petronell Thrale; Francis Thrale; Edward Thrale; Alice Thrale; John Thrale; William Thrale; John Thrale; Helen ; Elizabeth Smith; Thomas Thrale; Alban Thrale; Thomas Thrale; John Thrale; Thomas Thrale; Thomas Thrale; Alban Thrale; Elizabeth Jaques; Ralph Thrale; Sarah Thrale; Martha Thrale; Thomas Thrale; Ralph Thrale; William Thrale; Alice Dixon; Robert Thrale; Abby Rebecca Thrale; John Thrale; William Thrale; Ralph Thrale; Ralph Thrale; female Grindon; male White; Elizabeth Pemberton White; female White; Charles Gale; James White; William Thrale; Thomas Thrale; Ralph Thrale; Sandridge, Hertfordshire, England; Sandridgebury, Sandridge, Hertfordshire, England; Clophill, Bedfordshire, England; Luton, Bedfordshire, England; West Hyde, Bedfordshire, England; Thrales End, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England; Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England; St Albans, Hertfordshire, England; Napsbury, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England; New Mill End, Bedfordshire, England; East Hyde, Bedfordshire, England; Kingsbury, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England; Childwickbury, Sandridge, Hertfordshire, England; Hundreds of Flitt, Bedfordshire, England; Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire, England; Gifford, Sandy, Bedfordshire, England; Holborn, Middlesex, England; Nomansland, Sandridge, Hertfordshire, England; Astwick, Bedfordshire, England; Flamstead, Hertfordshire, England; Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England; Saint Pauls, Walden, Hertfordshire, England; Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, England; Saint Michaels, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England; Codicote, Hertfordshire, England; Hammonds, Sandridge, Hertfordshire, England; Saint Nicholas Cole Abbey, Middlesex, England; Batchwood, St Michaels, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England
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Thrale/Thrall history
