John Wise Thorp (1757–1825)
Mayor of Oxford 1805/6 and 1822/3
John Wise Thorp (Picture Oxon 0655033)
John Wise Thorp (sometimes Thorpe) was born in Oxford on 9 November 1757 and baptised at St Cross (Holywell) Church four days later. He was the eldest son of the hosier William Thorp (who himself held office as Mayor of Oxford in 1775 and 1789) and his second wife Elizabeth Wise, who were married at St Cross (Holywell) Church on 23 August 1756.
The family lived at 32 Broad Street (which was on the site of the Indian Institute and in Holywell parish).
His three younger siblings were also baptised at Holywell Church: Frances (1760), William (1762), and James (died as a baby, 1764). He also had an older half-sister, Sarah.
John's mother Elizabeth Thorp died on 5 September 1765 when he was eight years old, and his father married this third wife Mary Martindale fourteen months later on 8 November 1766.
On 27 January 1784 at at St Michael-at-the-Northgate Church, Oxford, John Wise Thorp married Dorothy Lawrence. Born on 22 March 1760, Dorothy was the daughter of Isaac Lawrence, who had himself been three times Mayor of Oxford.
On his marriage, John Wise Thorp was taken into partnership by his father, and they moved their business to 44 Broad Street in St Mary Magdalen parish. John was admitted free on 12 November 1784.
John Wise Thorp and his wife Dorothy had six children:
- William Wise Thorp (born in Oxford on 6 June 1785 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 30 June 1785)
- John Thorp (born in Oxford on 25 April 1787 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 16 May 1787)
- Charles Thorp (born in Oxford on 28 August 1788 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 12 September: died aged 1 year 3 months on 28 November 1789 and buried in St Mary Magdalen Church on 4 December 1789)
- Mary Elizabeth Thorp (born in Oxford on 19 September 1790 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 8 October; died aged two on 8 September 1792 and buried at St Mary Magdalen Church on 12 September 1792)
- Susannah Thorp (born in Oxford on 11 September 1793and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 18 September)
- Maria Thorp (born in Oxford on 24 March 1796: no baptism found).
Thorp was admitted as Mayor’s Child by Nicholas Halse on 30 September 1785. He took up his place as Chamberlain on 30 September 1788, and the following year he became a Keykeeper. He was elected Junior Bailiff for 1793/4.
Detail from a miniature of John Wise Thorp
owned by his descendant, Arthur Parsons
His family business was listed as “John & William Thorp, hosiers” in the Universal Directory of Britain in 1794. As John’s brother William was a Vicar and John's son of that name was only aged nine, the William is presumably John's father.
John’s wife Dorothy Thorp died at the age of 36 on 27 June 1796, just three months after the birth of her youngest child, and was buried at St Mary Magdalen Church four days later.
His father William Thorp died in September 1800, and John had probably already taken over his business.
On 6 September 1802 John Wise Thorp was elected one of the eight Assistants, and on 16 September 1805 he was elected Mayor of Oxford for the first time (for 1805/6). He continued to serve as a Mayor's Assistant after his mayoralty.
John Wise Thorp’s eldest son William Wise Thorp was admitted free on 31 October 1806 and his second son John Thorp on 6 October 1812, and their father was described as a “gentleman”.
Both of John Wise Thorp's daughters were married in 1821:
- On 13 January 1821 at St Cross Church, his elder daughter Susannah Thorp married Samuel Shepherd Folker of North-street, Brighton;
- On 5 April 1821 at St Cross Church, his younger daughter Maria Thorp became the second wife of Thomas Joy.
The family was obviously now living in Holywell parish, presumably at his old family home at 32 Broad Street, as in 1823 Thorp held his father’s lease on the building in Holywell parish just to the north of the “Gateway to the Rackett Court”.
In September 1822 Thorp was elected Mayor a second time (for 1822/3), seventeen years after his first election to that office. He then returned to serving as an Assistant.
John Wise Thorp died on 8 October 1825 at the age of 68 and was buried at St Mary Magdalen Church a week later. This marble monument on the south wall of that church reads:
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN WISE THORP,
WHO DIED OCTOBER 8TH 1825, AGED 68 YEARS.ALSO DOROTHY HIS WIFE, WHO DIED JUNE 27TH 1796, AGED 36 YEARS.
AND TWO OF THEIR CHILDREN WHO DIED IN THEIR INFANCY.
A memorial on the floor of the south aisle of St Mary Magdalen Church expands on this information:
“In memory of Charles, son of John Wise Thorp & Dorothy, his wife, who departed this life November 28th 1789, aged one year & three months. Also of Mary Elizabeth, their daughter, who died September 8th 1792, aged two years. Also John Wise Thorp, died October 8th 1825, aged 68 years. Also Dorothy, his wife, died June 27th 1796, aged 36 years. Also Lydia, wife of William Thorp, who died December 3rd 1829, aged 42 years.”
John Wise Thorp's two surviving sons both also became Mayors of Oxford (see links below).
His younger daughter Mrs Maria Joy died on 19 July 1832 aged 36, and his elder daughter Mrs Susannah Folker died at 15 Beaumont Street on 11 February 1875 at the age of 81.
See also:
- William Thorp I, Mayor in 1795 and 1789 (his father)
- William Thorp II, Mayor in 1833, 1844, and 1848 (his eldest son)
- John Thorp, Mayor in 1845 (his second son)
- Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 15 October 1825, p. 4b (obituary)
- Jackson's Oxford Journal, 9 June 1894, p. 5g:“Retrospect of a good old Oxford family”
- PCC Will PROB 11/1709/85 (Will of John Wise Thorp, Mayor of Oxford, proved 10 February 1826)
