William Thorne

Sir William Thorne (27 January 1839 – 28 March 1917) was a draper, milliner and businessman in Cape Town. He was also an active civil servant and Mayor of Cape Town.

Early life Thorne was born in Pembrokeshire, Wales and as a young man, served his apprenticeship with West End drapers and outfitters and gained his experiences in the drapery business, while he worked at Harvey Nichols in London. In 1860 he emigrated to the Cape Colony.

Business life Shortly after his arrival at the Cape, Thorne joined the brothers Samson and William Stuttaford, who operated as drapers and haberdashers named, Povall & Stuttaford, in Darling Street in Cape Town. In 1867, diamonds were discovered in the northern region of the Cape Colony and in 1868, Samson Stuttaford temporarily went on his own, but William Stuttaford and Thorne continued trading under the title of Thorne, Stuttaford and Co.

Civic life In public life, Thorne became chairman of the Liesbeeck Corporation and thereafter mayor of Rondebosch. In August 1893 he became a Cape Town city councillor and served as Mayor of Cape Town, from 1901 to 1904.