months slowly recovered to some degree; Henry never did. This stern authoritative man, normally immune to the lances of misfortune, was mortally wounded and steadily degenerated, escaping into slothful oblivion caused by voracious overeating.
The Family Book records much unhappiness which Hester endured. including Henry's fondness for beautiful Sophia Streatfield, but Hester resolved 'I will not fret, no I won't (22) Hester took refuge in her journals; she terminated her Family Book in 1778 and cauried on with her Thraliana. How much she missed her little ones who lay buried in Streatham Church. Pretty Sophia - 'S.S.' - had not been the only diversion for Henry. During his younger days his life as a young rake of fashion had given rise to lampooning press accounts and in 1772 had been caricatured as the 'Southwark Macaroni'. He had also at one time shown an excessive interest in Hester's attractive kinswoman, Miss Hetty Cotton.
Besides domestic difficulties, there were business ones. Occasionally Henry turned to naive fanciful projects. He squandered a fortune in trying to manufacture an anti-fouling compound for preserving ships' bottoms, and another for trying to brew beer without hops, both ideas possibly suggested by a man named Russell who often visited Thrale Place. He passed as a woman, had lived with gypsies, and was a renowned quack and astrologer. He had the habits of both sexes - drinking with men and sewing with women. Johnson reported him as shrewd and sensible. Hester, and Johnson with great relish, assisted Perkins to rectify the disastrous financial position.
It was in 1775 that the Thrales took Johnson to France on his only visit abroad, to Paris, together with Baretti, who was Queeney Thrale's tutor. They visited Fontainbleau and saw the King and Queen at dinner, and the Queen was so impressed by Miss - Queeney - that she sent one of the gentelmen to enquire who she was. Such mode of life was coming to an end however. In April 1780, Henry was recuperating at Bath after a stroke. He used to eat until the veins in his forehead swelled. Hester Knew he was killing himself, but could not persuade him to become more moderate. Henry returned to his house in Grosvenor Square in London.
In March 1781 he died in convulsions. Johnson felt almost the last flutter of his pulse and looked 'for the last time upon the face that for fifteen years had been turned upon me but with respect and benignity'. In 1782 the sad old man bade farewell to Streatham. He experienced some satisfaction as an executor of Thrale's will, helping to arrange the sale of the Anchor brewery. 'We are nor here to, self a parcel or boilers
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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-081.html
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File Size
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2.6 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
