Thorne, Richard

Singer

Collection date: Sept 1906

Area: Somerset - West

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Richard Thorne of Withypool (1825-1911): age 82, 1 song ‘Come all you worthy people’ (FT1116) on 5 Sept 1906: Richard Thorne was baptised at Exford on 28/10/1825, eldest son of John Thorne, farmer (83 acres at Withypool) and his wife Sarah. Richard set up his own farm in Rose Ash, Devon (10 miles to south) by 1861 but on 5/11/1867 he married Betsey Hayes, a farmer’s widow and took over her farm at Southill, Withypool (92 acres).

Richard remained at Southill Farm for the next 20 years and raised Betsey’s 4 children as his own. She died in May 1907, not long after Richard sang this rather moral song for Sharp. Richard Thorne was very influential in the local Methodist chapel (opened 1881). Richard died 14/1/1911 and was buried at Exford church (tombstone). He left £1,595 in his will.