‘Notes of Cases in the Ecclesiastical and Maritime Courts.’ They appeared in seven volumes in 1850. Their object was ‘to supply in the interval between the decisions and the publication of the authorised reports more full and accurate notes of important cases than those found in the daily papers.’ Thornton subsequently supplied reports of the parliamentary debates, which were characterised by great terseness and grasp. He also published in two volumes in 1844 a ‘History of China to the Treaty in 1842’ (Von Möllendorf, Manual of Chinese Bibliography). In 1813 Thornton edited the ‘Complete Works of Thomas Otway’ in 3 vols. 8vo, and prefixed a short life of the dramatist.
He died on 25 March 1866 at 29 Gloucester Street, Belgrave Road, London. He married in 1823 Elizabeth, daughter of Habbakuk Robinson of Bagshot, Surrey, by whom he had three sons and three daughters. The eldest son, Robinson Thornton, D.D. (b. 1825), warden of Trinity College, Glenalmond, from 1870 to 1873, and Boyle lecturer in 1881–3, became archdeacon of Middlesex in 1893. The second son, Thomas Henry, D.C.L. Oxon. (b. 1832), was judge of the chief court of the Punjab and member of the legislative council of India in 1878–1881. The third son, Samuel, D.D. (b. 1836), was first bishop of Ballarat (1875–1900) and vicar of Blackburn from 1901.
[Times, 29 March 1866; Gent. Mag. 1866, i. 759, 760; Walford's County Families; Foster's Alumni Oxon.; Brit. Mus. Cat.]
THORNTON, Sir WILLIAM (1779?–1840), lieutenant-general, colonel of the 85th foot, born about 1779, was the elder son of William Thornton of Muff, near Londonderry, by his wife Anne, daughter of Perrott James of Magilligan. He obtained a commission as ensign in the 89th foot on 31 March 1796, and served with his regiment in Ireland. He was promoted to be lieutenant in the 46th foot on 1 March 1797, and captain in the same regiment on 25 June 1803. Early in this year he had been appointed aide-de-camp to Lieutenant-general Sir James Henry Craig [q. v.], then inspector-general of infantry. On Craig's appointment to be commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean, Thornton accompanied him as aide-de-camp in April 1805, arriving at Malta on 18 July. On 3 Nov. he left Malta with Craig in the expedition to Naples, to co-operate with the Russians under General Maurice Lacy [q. v.], and, disembarking at Castellamare, in the bay of Naples, on 20 Nov., took part in the operations for the defence of the Neapolitan frontier. On 14 Jan. 1806, on the withdrawal of the Russian troops to Corfu, Thornton embarked at Castellamare with the British army for Messina, and after the disembarkation of the troops, which did not take place until 17 Feb., was busy with his general in organising the defence of that fortress. In April Thornton returned to England with Craig, who had resigned his command on account of ill-health.
Thornton next served as aide-de-camp to Lieutenant-general Earl Ludlow, commanding the Kent military district, until 13 Nov. 1806, when he was promoted to be major in the royal York rangers. He served in Guernsey in temporary command of the regiment until August 1807, when he went to Canada as military secretary and first aide-de-camp to Craig, who had been appointed governor-in-chief and captain-general in British North America. On 28 Jan. 1808 he was promoted to be brevet lieutenant-colonel, and appointed, in addition to his other duties, to be inspecting field-officer of militia in Canada. He returned to England with Craig in 1811, and on 1 Aug. of that year was brought into the 34th foot as a lieutenant-colonel. On 23 Jan. 1812 he was transferred from the 34th foot to be lieutenant-colonel commanding the Greek light infantry corps, and became assistant military secretary to the commander-in-chief, the Duke of York. On 25 Jan. 1813 he was given the command of the 85th light infantry.
In July 1813 Thornton went in command of the 85th foot to the Peninsula, and took part in the siege of St. Sebastian. He commanded the regiment at the passages of the Bidassoa, Nivelle, Nive, and Adour rivers, and in all the operations of the left wing of the Duke of Wellington's army, including the investment of Bayonne. He received the medal and clasp for the Nive.
In May 1814 Thornton embarked with the 85th at Bordeaux, and sailed in the expedition under Major-general Robert Ross [q. v.] for North America. He was promoted on 4 June 1814 to be brevet colonel for his services in the Peninsula. He landed with the expedition on 19 Aug. at St. Benedict's on the Patuxent, and was given the command of a brigade consisting of the 85th foot, the light infantry companies of the 4th, 21st, and 44th regiments, and of a company of marines. The army marched on Washington by Nottingham and Marlborough, Thornton leading with his light brigade. On 24 Aug. the enemy were met at Bladensburg, where they were posted in a most advantageous position on rising ground on the other side of and above the river. Thornton pushed quickly through the town, and although suffering much from the fire of the enemy's
