removed to Plymouth, where he died on 28 Jan. 1872, and was buried at Shebbear. He was without doubt by far the ablest man among the early Bible Christians. On 23 Sept. 1823 he married Catherine Reed of Holwell, by whom he had six children. Portraits of Thorne are prefixed to the memoirs of 1873 and 1895.
[Bourne's Centenary Life of James Thorne, 1895; Memoirs of James Thorne by his Son, 1873.]
THORNE, JAMES (1815–1881), antiquary, born in London in September 1815, was educated at a private school, and for several years afterwards worked as an artist. While a young man he supplied short articles on antiquarian subjects to the ‘Mirror,’ ‘Gentleman's Magazine,’ and other publications, the result of research in libraries and of frequent rambles through many districts of England. In 1843 he became connected with Charles Knight [q. v.], and they worked together for more than twenty-five years, the proof-sheets of Knight's compositions often deriving much advantage from the suggestions of his coadjutor.
Thorne contributed, under Knight's direction, many topographical articles to the second series of the ‘Penny Magazine,’ and wrote large portions, besides supplying many illustrations, of the four volumes, entitled ‘The Land we live in.’ Knight's series of weekly and monthly volumes comprised Thorne's volumes of ‘Rambles by Rivers.’ The first, describing ‘the Duddon, Mole, Adur, Arun, Wey, Lea, and Dove,’ appeared in 1844, with numerous woodcuts from the author's drawings. The second on ‘the Avon’ came out in 1845, with illustrations mostly by William Harvey, and the two volumes on ‘the Thames,’ with all their illustrations by Harvey, are dated 1847 and 1849. In these descriptions, as in all Thorne's writings, history and antiquity are pleasantly blended with ‘gleanings of fairy and folk lore.’ He was working editor of the two volumes on geography in ‘The Imperial Cyclopædia,’ 1852, and of the ‘English Cyclopædia,’ with its supplements, and for twenty-five years he wrote for the ‘Companion to the British Almanac.’ The reissue (1873) of the ‘Passages of a Working Life,’ by Charles Knight, contained an ‘introductory note’ by Thorne.
Thorne's energies were for several years devoted to the compilation of the two volumes of his ‘Handbook to the Environs of London,’ 1876. They were the result of ‘personal examination and inquiry,’ and must be consulted by every student of the scenery, or of the historic associations, of the buildings and remains for twenty miles around London. His great knowledge and immense industry are shown throughout its pages. At the time of his death he was engaged in preparing a new edition of Peter Cunningham's ‘Handbook of London.’ He thoroughly ‘revised the work, and added much fresh information and many illustrative quotations.’ The ‘revision’ was completed on an elaborate scale by Mr. Henry B. Wheatley, F.S.A., in 1891 (see preface to his London Past and Present). After a painful illness, lasting for nearly twelve months, Thorne died at 52 Fortess Road, Kentish Town, on 3 Sept. 1881, leaving a widow and several children in poor circumstances. Thorne was elected F.S.A. on 21 March 1872.
[Times, 6 Sept. 1881, p. 1, 7 Sept. p. 10; Athenæum, 10 Sept. 1881, p. 336 (by C. Tomlinson); Academy, 10 Sept. 1881, p. 199; Notes and Queries, 6th ser. iv. 260.]
THORNE, JOHN (d. 1573), musician and poet, was probably connected with York Minster, perhaps as teacher of the choristers. He is called ‘Thorne of York’ in a contemporary manuscript [see Redford, John]; and he was buried in the minster, his epitaph celebrating his skill in logic as well as in music, and giving the date of his death 9 Dec. 1573. Morley (Introduction to Practicall Musicke, 1597) mentions Thorne among the list of composers whose works he had studied, placing him after John Taverner [q. v.] and Redford; and reckons him (p. 96) with Redford and Thomas Tallis [q. v.] among the musicians specially distinguished in composing upon a plain-song. Only three of Thorne's compositions are extant: an ‘Exultabant sancti’ in Redford's writing in Addit. MS. 29996 (f. 38), an ‘In nomine’ in the collection at the music school, Oxford, and a ‘Stella cœli extirpavit’ in Baldwin's manuscript at Buckingham Palace. The last-named was printed by Hawkins. Ambros (Geschichte der Musik, ed. Kade, iii. 458) considers it a little behind the contemporary Flemish style, although he describes the part-writing as quite sterling and animated, interesting by its most successful imitations, the harmony sonorous, the effect of the whole thoroughly noble and significant.
Thorne also wrote some verse. In the manuscript which contains Redford's ‘Wyt and Science’ (printed by the Shakespeare Society) are three poems by Thorne. One is a religious version of Gray's popular ballad ‘The hunt is up;’ the others were subsequently printed in R. Edwards's ‘Paradyse of Daintie Devyces’ (1576), one being there signed ‘M[r]. Thorn,’ the other anonymous.
