Edward Thornton

Sir Edward Thornton, 1st Count of Cacilhas, (22 October 1766 – 3 July 1852) was a British diplomat, and father of fellow diplomat, Sir Edward Thornton.

Early life He was born in London, the third of three sons and two daughters, of William Thornton (1738–1769), and Dorothy (née Thompson) Thornton (d. 1769). His father, who was originally from Hull, East Yorkshire, established himself in London as a prosperous innkeeper and Freeman of the City of London. His mother, as later described by Sir Edward, was "a countrywoman... a native of the... East Riding, of a very respectable family". Dorothy died three months after the birth of a daughter, and eight months later, William was suddenly taken ill and died soon after, leaving their children orphaned.

Among his siblings was the merchant Thomas Thornton. Being left in the care of a family friend, using his guardian's connections Thornton was educated at Christ's Hospital and at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

He became a member of the Privy council in 1816. He was appointed minister to Portugal in July 1817 and joined the Portuguese court in Brazil. He was ambassador to Portugal from April 1819 to March 1821, when he returned to England. He returned again to Portugal as an ambassador from August 1823 to August 1824 during which time he invested the King of Portugal with the Order of the Garter and assisted the King during the insurrection. The title of Count of Cacilhas in the Portuguese nobility was conferred on Thornton and his heirs, for three generations, by the King of Portugal.

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in June 1810, appointed GCB in 1822 and retired in August 1824.

Personal life In 1812, Thornton married Magdalena Wilhelmina Amalia Kohp of Hanover, a daughter of Joannes Michael Kopf and Caecilia ( Roth) Kohp. Together, they had one daughter and six sons, including:

Edward Thornton, 2nd Count of Cacilhas (1817–1906), who married Mary Jane Maitland, a daughter of John Maitland. George Reginald Thornton (–1841), a graduate of Pembroke College, Cambridge. Maria Amalia Thornton (1819–1915), who married Signor Giovanni Tassinari of Tuscany in 1844.

In retirement he lived in Wembury House, Plymouth, Devon, where he died in 1852. His wife predeceased him, at Wembury, in January 1832.

Honours and legacy In 1902, his alma mater, Christ's Hospital, named one of its boarding houses after him.