Elizabeth (“Lizzie”) Thornton (1864 - 1955)

Elizabeth (‘Lizzie’) Thornton  

– Mrs. John Harland                                                            

b. 16 June 1864  Portadown Co. Armagh

m. 2 April 1891, Portadown (at her         parents'  home)

d.17 June 1955 in Hillside,      Bessbrook, Co. Armagh

Elizabeth Thornton (1864 -1955) was a quite remarkable lady. While still not quite 27 years old, she married John Harland on 2 April 1891. He was 10 years older than her, and with a ready-made family of four boisterous sons; the eldest had just passed his tenth birthday (Tom, 24 March 1881), and the youngest was still only two years of age (Wallace, 10 June 1888); not forgetting Willie (25 December 1882) and Jack (22 January 1885) – a brave woman, indeed.

Elizabeth (1864) was the second child of David (1834) and Eleanor (1834) Thornton, nee Robb. David, with this brother, founded the wholesale food and grain business of A & D Thornton in Portadown Co. Armagh; the brothers came to own extensive properties around Thomas Street Portadown that are still managed by Robin Thornton (1914) in 2004. Perhaps it was the experience of having to help in bringing up two younger brothers and three younger sisters that left her undaunted.

She soon had even more responsibilities when her own three children were born. Elinor (1895 – 1989) was born on 17th July 1895. Noel (1896 – 1939) arrived on 24 December 1896. It took until the turn of the century for Arthur (1900 – 1994) to arrive on 28th September 1900. All her stepchildren loved and respected her as much as her own three and she was always addressed as ‘ Mother’ until the next generation took to calling her ‘Granny.’ Her stepson Tom made a rare visit home to Ireland in 1947. He took Mother and his stepsister Elinor sightseeing in Armagh Cathedral.  While there, his stepmother fell off the chancel step and fractured her neck of femur - but made a full recovery .

Like her husband before her, Elizabeth Harland (1864 – 1955) also developed Alzheimer’s Disease, and was cared for at Hillside, by her daughter, until the day after her 91st birthday; and finally laid to rest in Bessbrook Methodist cemetery in a different grave to that of her husband. Her own three children were interred there too. The Will Calendar of 1955 reported her estate to be valued at £1985 17s 1d

It must have been the Methodist connection, as well as the grocery businesses, which brought the two families together. The Robb–Thornton extended family had been involved with Methodism since their ancestors listened to John Wesley preaching at Derryanvil Methodist Chapel (built 1784) near Portadown in 1785. Reverend James Donnelly (1828 – 1893), who had ‘married into’ that same Robb dynasty, was the Superintendent of Newry Methodist Circuit in 1889.  He is known to have been a visitor at Hillside, and could well have been involved in matchmaking. (Verbal report from Mrs. Helen White nee Robb (1920) who could recall her father, Don Robb (1883), telling her that he visited Hillside with his grandfather in the days of the first Mrs. Harland – that must have been in 1889).

Elizabeth was the second child of David (1834) and Eleanor (1834) Thornton, nee Robb. David, with this brother, founded the wholesale food and grain business of A & D Thornton in Portadown Co. Armagh; the brothers came to own extensive properties around Thomas Street Portadown that were still managed by Robin Thornton (1914) into the early 21st century. Perhaps it was the experience of having to help in bringing up two younger brothers and three younger sisters that left her undaunted.

She soon had even more responsibilities when her own three children were born. Elinor (1895– 1989) was born on 17th July 1895. Noel (1896–1939) arrived on 24 December 1896. It took until the turn of the century for Arthur (1900–1994) to arrive on 28th September 1900. All her stepchildren loved and respected her as much as her own three and she was always addressed as ‘Mother’ until the next generation took to calling her ‘Granny’. Her stepson Tom  made a rare visit home to Ireland in 1947. He took Mother and his stepsister Elinor sightseeing in Armagh Cathedral.  While there, his stepmother fell off the chancel step and fractured her neck of femur - but made a full recovery.  Tom wrote a moving tribute to her after her death  in 1955.

Like her husband before her, Elizabeth Harland (1864 – 1955) also developed Alzheimer’s Disease, and was cared for at Hillside, by her daughter Elinor, until the day after her 91st birthday.  She was finally laid to rest in Bessbrook Methodist cemetery, in a different grave to her husband. Her own three children were interred there too. The Will Calendar of 1955 reported her estate to be valued at £1985 17s 1d.  

Arthur, the parents and Noel at Hillside, 1938

Lizzie and John’s three children, shown below,  all died without issue.  Her youngest stepson, Wallace, wrote a report on his parents’ Golden Wedding (1941).

Noel, Arthur & Elinor circa 1913