Major R. Lawrence Thornton, D.L., J.P., of High Cross, Framfield had an extensive life of public duty including being a barrister of the Inner Temple, High Sheriff of Sussex in 1900, Justice of the Peace in 1892, President of the Royal Sussex County Hospital and a member of the East Sussex County Council for forty years. He was Chairman of the Diocesan Finance Board and a member of the House of Layman as well as being churchwarden and choirmaster of Framfield Church for twenty years. In sport he was President of the Sussex County Cricket Club and secretary of the South Saxon Society for Lawn Tennis and Croquet. He was awarded the CBE as result of his activities in the defence of the country which stretched back to his war service from 1880 to 1901 with the 3rd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment. In Freemasonry he was Provincial Grand Master for Sussex, Grand Superintendent of Sussex and many other distinctions.
| Generation No. 1 | |||
| 1. Major Robert Lawrence Thornton, D.L., J.P. was the son of Robert Thornton and Elizabeth Ann Thornton [Metcalfe]. He was born 17th Sep 1865 at Dulwich, Surrey; died 19th Mar 1947, registered at Uckfield District, Sussex, ref: 1947 Q1 Vol 5h Page 587, aged 81 years | |||
| He married Charlotte Raynes on 14th Aug 1890 at Essex. She was born 1866 at Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. They had the following children: | |||
| i | Robert West who was born Jan to Mar 1896 at Uckfield, Sussex, registered at Uckfield District, Sussex, ref: 1896 Q1 Vol 2b Page123; died 16th Jun 1915 Sussex | ||
| ii | Gerald Edward who was born July to Sep 1898 at Framfield, Sussex, registered at Uckfield District, Sussex, ref: 1898Q3 Vol 2b Page 128 | ||
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