Thurtell and Related Families    

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Notes for John THURTELL

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Much of the information about John and Anne Thurtell and their
descendants is from the family tree done by Harriet Thurtell about 1900,
the Thurtell Family History done about 1963, and the History of the
Thurtell Family done by Susan Persia Thurtell about 1968, all in the
possession of Susan Persia Thurtell Miller.

John and Anne Thurtell lived at Hobland Hall at Hopton, Suffolk, England,
and their twelve children were born there. Hobland Hall was painted by
Harriet Thurtell, photographed several times, and has been visited by
various descendants of John and Anne Thurtell over the years.

A letter to Irene Thurtell Peters dated September 29, 1964 (copy in
possession of Susan Persia Thurtell Miller) from James L. Buck, Birds Eye
Food Ltd., Hobland Hall, Bradwell, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England,
states that Hobland Hall is located in Suffolk, but the mailing address
is Norfolk. The villages of Hobland, Lound, Flipton, Bradwell, Belton,
Hopton, Ashley, Fritton, Belton, and Blundeston are all within 20 minutes
horse ride of each other, and each have their own church (all Norman).
The 12 children of John and their offspring have records and tombs in
nearly all of these villages. John and Anne Thurtell are buried at
Blundeston. Their tomb headings show: Anne Thurtell, died September 12,
1834; age 72 years; John Thurtell, husband, died September 10, 1846, age
84 years; Elizabeth Thurtell, second wife of James, died 15th June 1823,
age 75 years; James Thurtell, died 19th January 1801, age 63 years;
Winifred, 1st wife of James, died November 28, 1795, age 55 years. There
has been a church in Blundeston since the 7th century, and this is
described by Charles Dickens in the opening pages of "David Copperfield."
The lettering in the name Thurtell has changed from the early times as
from Thurkeld, Thurked, Thurtle, and lots of offshoots of Thirtle.
Inside the doorway of Hobland Hall is a brass plate that goes back at
least to the 13th century. For over three centuries the estate was owned
by Magdalen College, Oxford, and history records many famous tenants. On
January 24, 1961, the Hall was almost destroyed by fire. Only the
basement and exterior walls survived. Mr. R. G. Carter reinstated the
Hall to first floor level, retaining the Georgian architecture as far as
possible. The Hall was reoccupied as business premises of Birds Eye
Foods in the autumn of 1961. James Buck from Birds Eye Foods
corresponded with Irene Thurtell Peters in the 1960's.

Additional information was received from Frank Sayer, Social History
Librarian, Norwich Public Libraries, from September 14, 1964, sent to
James Buck, with a copy sent to Irene Thurtell Peters and a copy of her
copy in the possession of Susan Persia Thurtell Miller. Hobland Hall
(Hobbeland's or Hopland) is a manor held at the time of Henry III by
Henry de Hopeland. In 1604 it was held by Sir John Fastalf, who gave it
to Magdalen College, Oxford. Lessees included: 1724 Augustus Schultz,
1949 Gerard Trotter, 1768 David Urquhart, 1793 Thomas Fowler, and in 1823
John Thurkell. Subsequently Tom Barber held it and later Mrs. Barber and
Colonel Lucas. Ipswich Journal 11th and 26th July 1823 has adverts for
sale of this manor at the Bear Inn, Yarmouth, 9th August 1823, by order
of the assignees of the estate of John Thurtell, a bankrupt, of the
Equity of Redemption of Estates situated at Bradwell, Hopton, Belton,
etc. of the sites of the Manors of Hobland and Hopton, also a mansion
house called Hobland Hall, several farms, etc., containing about 630
acres. In 1844 T. Barber occupied Hobland Hall.

The IGI file at the LDS Family History Center shows that John Thurtell
was christened August 29, 1762, at St. Julian, Norwich, Norfolk, England
(Batch C044421). It also shows he married Ann Brown at Blundeston,
Suffolk, England, on September 25, 1787 (Batch 7913831).

Information received from Peter Murray in 1997 shows John Thurtell was
born August 12, 1762. He grew up in Flixton Parish in Suffolk, England,
since his parents moved there by 1772. He was a land surveyor of Norwich
and owned numerous properties in Lothingland Hundred, Suffolk, where he
lived. He settled in Hopton Parish in Suffolk prior to his marriage.

Family tradition relates that John Thurtell and Anne Browne were married
in a triple wedding ceremony. Her sister, Susannah Browne married his
brother, Thomas Thurtell, and her brother, Robert Browne, married his
sister, Sarah Thurtell, on the same day, as confirmed by records of the
Church of St. Mary, Blundeston, Suffolk, England.

After their marriage, John and Anne Thurtell lived at Hobland Hall,
Bradwell Parish, Suffolk County, England, for many years. In 1823 they
moved to Hopton Hall, Hopton Parish, Suffolk, England, only three miles
away according to Thurtell family records. In that year Hobland Hall and
other extensive properties belonging to John Thurkell (Thurtell), a
bankrupt, were sold by auction in Yarmouth as announced in the local
newspaper. Either John Thurtell avoided total ruin, or possibly Hopton
Hall where he afterwards lived was by then the property of his eldest
son. This was the time of an unprecedented number of bankruptcies in
England. Indeed, these must have been grim times for our family, for
1823-4 was also the time of the Thurtell murder scandal, in which another
John Thurtell, a nephew of John and Anne Browne Thurtell, whose mother
was Anne's sister and whose father was John's brother, was convicted and
executed for the murder of William Weare, a notorious swindler and
sometime solicitor. The Thurtell name was blackened, notwithstanding
some public sympathy for the murderer, and as a result our John Thurtell
and several other members of his family appear to have used the name
Turner instead of Thurtell for a time. Two sons of John and Anne
Thurtell, including Peter Murray's ancestor Alfred, instead adopted the
name Murray which has been retained by that branch of the family ever
since.

Later John Thurtell lived in or near Norwich where he died. In early
1842 a letter from Elizabeth Anne Thurtell to cousin Edward Brookes
Thurtell relating news learned from England stated, "Grandfather still is
declining and will not so he thinks be long spared, but he walks into the
City twice a day, and is in his 80th year." His death certificate shows
that he died at Willow Lanes, St. Giles, Norwich, on September 10, 1846;
and the death was registered two days later. John and Anne Thurtell are
buried very prominently inside the church at Blundeston, Suffolk,
England, in the floor to the left of the old font. In 1993 they were
moved during renovations and have been imbedded in the wall inside the
church.

John and Anne Browne Thurtell had twelve children who survived
childhood. All twelve were believed to have been born at Hobland Hall,
Bradwell Parish, and christened at the Old Font in the Church of St. Mary
the Virgin, Blundeston. However, contemporary records of baptisms in the
parish of Hopton have now been found for all of the children, and in some
instances the birthplace too is given as Hopton. The youngest son was
born in Bradwell in 1805, so perhaps by then they were living at Hobland
Hall.

Information received from Jane Ward in 1998 confirms that John Thurtell
died September 10, 1846, and that his death certificate is number DX
307791.

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Additions and corrections are always appreciated! Please contact Susan T. Miller 1411 West Childs Street Wheaton, Illinois  60187-4601 U.S.A. 630-682-0108 E-mail GGM81@aol.com    
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