THORNTON, James (1857-1937)
Businessman, community leader, philanthropist.
James Thornton
was born in Boherhue, County Cork, Ireland, the son of Edmond Thornton and his
wife Mary, nee Sullivan. One of a
large family, he came to New South Wales in 1880, when he was 23 and, in 1885,
at Carr’s Creek, Clarence River, married Mary Ann Taylor (1860-19140, the
daughter of Barry and Norah Taylor (Reg. No.5027/1885).
James was described as a fell monger from Waterloo in Sydney. They
settled at Mascot, then known as North Botany, and had five children – Mary
Nora, known as May (1886-1955), Honora C (1888-1889), Catherine Cherry
(1892-1977), Veronica Johanna, known as Vera (1895-1949), James John
(1897-1957). Mary Ann Thornton died
on 28 April, 1914, and was buried at Waverley Catholic Cemetery.
In
1916, at Redfern, James Thornton married Sarah Catherine Walsh (1874- 1960),
born at Carcoar, NSW, the daughter of Adam and Margaret Walsh.
They had one son, Edmond ( -1958).
Sarah Thornton died on 28 April, 1914, and was buried at Eastern Suburbs
Memorial Park.
A
self-made man, James Thornton would become known as a pioneer of the Mascot and
Botany districts through his success as a business man and involvement in his
community and one of Sydney’s best known and most popular members of the
Catholic community.
In
1885, James Thornton became the proprietor of the Old Half-way House in Botany
Road, which he rebuilt in 1900 and renamed the Newmarket Hotel.
He ran the business until he retired in 1916 when his son, Edmond took
over. During his time as licensee,
he became President of the United Licensed Victuallers’ Association of New South
Wales.
Thornton
had far reaching interests in the Mascot-Botany area. He built and owned the
Rosebery and Ascot theatres, was one of the founders of the Rosebery Racecourse,
acting as Judge at the Rosebery and Kensington Racecourses until 1910 when he
retired. In 1914, he formed a
Proprietary Company which controlled his many interests.
For
over thirty years, James Thornton was an alderman on the North Botany Council
and was four times elected Mayor.
His two sons-in-law, Richard King and Michael L’Estrange would also become Mayor
of the municipality. Thornton was also a trustee of Botany Catholic Cemetery.
An
active member of the Catholic Church,
James Thornton had a life-membership of the HACB Society (Hibernian
Australasion Catholic Benefit Society), member and president of his local St.
Vincent de Paul Society at Botany and later at Cronulla,
and other community charities. In 1924, he was made a Papal Knight by
Pope Pius X1, with the award of KSS
(Knight of Saint Sylvestor) in recognition of his outstanding involvement in all
Catholic charities and activities.
After
his retirement in 1916, James Thornton moved to Cronulla where he lived in
Glaisher Parade and, later, at his home ‘Newmarket’ in Waratah Street
He took a keen interest in sport, was a member of the Cronulla Golf Club
and the Cronulla Bowling Club, was Club President at one stage, and supported
the local Cronulla Surf Club.
The
local Catholic parish of
St.
Aloysuis
was still in its formative stage and benefitted greatly from Thornton’s
generosity. He made a considerable
donation towards the buiding of the sacristry of the new church and, in 1934,
James Thornton donated 1,000 pounds for the erection of a Parish Hall in which
functions could be held and funds raised to offset the parish debt.
The foundation stone was blessed by his Grace the Archbishop of Sydney
(Most Rev.M. Kelly D.D.) on 26 August, 1934 in the presence of the parish
priest, Rev. Father Francis Lloyd, the church committee, other priests and
dignatories and many parishioners.
In a short speech, Thornton recalled that when Father Lloyd called upon
him and spoke of the necessity of a hall, he mentioned that there was some
ground in the school area and if the Archbishop would consent to have a building
erected on it he would donate 1,000 pounds.
He said that Father Lloyd did not wait long after that.
The building was named Thornton Hall and has always been the centre of
parish activities. For many years,
the De La Salle brothers had classrooms in the building teaching boys from 3rd
to 6th class before they moved to the senior classes across
Gunnamatta Bay where the College is still located.
As
well as his interests in the local sports clubs and continued involvement in
church and social activities, James
Thornton travelled abroad in 1910, 1914 and 1924 and had happy re-unions with
family members in Ireland and America.
His brother, Jeremiah (1853-1942), had also come to New South Wales and
for many years was a farmer at Carrs Creek near Grafton.
James delighted in being ‘mine host’ and his door was always open to
family and friends.
James
Thornton died at his home ‘Newmarket’, Gerrale Street, Cronulla, on 25 May,
1937. He was survived byhis wife,
Sarah, and children, sons James John and Edmond, and daughters May (Mrs.S King).
Catherine (Mrs. M. L’Estrange), and Vera and grandchildren.
Also two brothers and one sister – Frank Thornton, aged 88, from San
Francisco, Mrs. H. McCarthy, aged 86, from San Francisco and Jeremiah, aged 84,
from Grafton. Sister M. Emelian from
Convent of Mercy, Bathurst, was a cousin.
The
funeral service at St.Mary’s Cathedral was attended by a large congregation
representing the many facets of James Thornton’s life -
clergy, teachers from the religious orders, representatives of Catholic
groups, politicians, business representatives from banks, insurance companies,
the racing industry, breweries, film companies, clubs, St.Mary’s Bellringers and
many others. After the Mass, the
funeral cortege moved to Botany Cemetery for the burial.
Despite the continuous rain, the gathering at the grave was one of the
largest ever witnessed at the cemetery a fitting tribute to a man who gave so
much to his community.
View the entry in the
database for
THORNTON, James (1857 – 1937)
and family. Click on his name at the
heading of this page.
References:
·
NSW BDM
·
Australian
Birth Index
·
Australian
Death Index
·
Australalian
Marriage Index
·
Irish Records
Extraction Database
·
Ancestry
·
Trove
·
The Catholic
Press
·
The Catholic
Freeman’s Journal
·
The Propellor