![[Header#^header-embed]] > [!SUMMARY] > St Leonard's Church Streatham was the principal place of worship for the Streatham Thrale family, comprising [[1729-1758 owner Ralph Thrale MP|Ralph Thrale]], his son [[Henry Thrale]], his wife [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|Hester]] and her mother [[Hester Maria Thrale]], and [[Hester & Henry's children]] during the time that the family lived at [[Streatham Park]]. > > The church was the burial place for several family members and contains the Thrale burial vault. The church has two of the three mourning tablets with a Latin epitaph written by [[Dr. Samuel Johnson|Samuel Johnson]]. The other is for [Oliver Goldsmith](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Goldsmith). > > <iframe width="100%" height="350" src="https://www.openstreetmap.org/export/embed.html?bbox=-0.132211446762085%2C51.42885546025314%2C-0.1309025287628174%2C51.43021838037633&amp;layer=mapnik&amp;marker=51.42953692539664%2C-0.13155698776245117" style="border: 1px solid black"></iframe><br/><small><a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=51.42954&amp;mlon=-0.13156#map=19/51.42954/-0.13156">View Larger Map</a></small> ## Thrale burial vault The Thrale family vault was under the church's south aisle, and the original floor covering slab is still in place. However, the family remains were removed to the new [catacomb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombs) at the time of the rebuilding of the church in 1831-2. The remains are still there and were respectfully [[According to Beryl|filmed by the BBC]] in 2001. ![[thrale_vault_st_leonards_streatham.jpg]] <div class="caption">Thrale family burial vault, St Leonards Church, Streatham.</div> Family members whose remains are laid to rest here include[^1]: - [[1729-1758 owner Ralph Thrale MP|Ralph Thrale]] died 1758; - [[Hester Maria Salusbury nee Cotton]] died 18 June 1773; - [[Henry Salusbury Thrale]] died 1776; - [[Henry Thrale]] died 1781; - [[Sophia Thrale]] died 1824; and - [[Cecilia Margaretta Thrale]] died 1857. Also interred here, without monument following childhood death, are: - [[Frances Thrale]] died 1765 - [[Anna Maria Thrale]] died 1770; - [[Penelope Thrale]] died 1772; - [[Lucy Elizabeth Thrale]] died 1773; - [[Frances Anna Thrale]] died 1775; and - [[Henrietta Sophia Thrale]] died 1783. ## Mourning tablets ### Henry Thrale > [!NOTE] Mourning tablet for [[Henry Thrale]] at St Leonards Church, Streatham. > ![[henry_thrale_memorial.png]] > <div class="caption">Mourning tablet for Henry Thrale.</div> > > Hic conditur quod reliquum est. > HENRICI THRALE > Qui res seu civiles, seu domesticas, ita egit > Ut vitam illi longiorem multi optarent; > Ita sacras > Ut quam brevem esset habiturus praescire videretur, > Simplex, apertus, sibi semper similis, > Nihil ostentavit aut arte fictum aut cura > Elaboratum. > In senatu, regi, patriaeque > Fideliter studuit; > Vulgi obstrepentis contemptor animosus, > Domi inter mille mercaturae negotia > Literarum elegantiam minime neglexit. > Amicis quocunque modo laborantibus, > Conciliis, auctoritate, muneribus adfuit. > Inter familiares, comites, convivas, hospites, > Tam facili fuit morum suavitate > Ut omnium animos ad se alliceret; > Tam felici sermonis libertate > Ut nulli adulatus, omnibus placeret. > Natus 1724. Obiit 1781. > Consortes tumuli habet Rodolphum patrem, strenuum fortemque virum, > et Henricum filium unicum, quem spei parentum mors inopina decennem praeripuit. > Ita Domus felix et opulenta, quam erexit Avus, auxitque pater, cum nepote decidit. > Abi viator! > Et vicibus rerum humanarum perspectis, > Æternitatem cogita! A literal translation into English is: > Here is buried what remains of HENRY THRALE Who in either civil or domestic matters, so conducted himself That many would wish for a longer life for him; And in sacred matters, So as if he foresaw how brief it would be, He was plain, open, always the same to himself, He displayed nothing either artfully devised or elaborated by care. In the Senate, for the King, and his Country He faithfully served; A courageous despiser of the noisy crowd, At home, among a thousand business affairs, he by no means neglected The elegance of Literature. In whatever way his friends were labouring, By counsel, authority, gifts, he was present. Among family, friends, companions, guests, He was so easy with the charm of his character That he attracted the minds of all to himself; With such freedom in conversation That, flattering no one, he pleased everyone. Born 1724. Died 1781. The tomb has as companions Rodolph the father, a strong and brave man, And Henry, his only son, whom the unexpected death of his parents Snatched away at the age of ten. Thus the happy and wealthy house, which the grandfather built, and the father increased, fell with the grandson. Go, traveller! And having considered the vicissitudes of human affairs, Think of eternity!" Erected on Friday 20 September 1782. The monument is by [Joseph Wilton  R.A.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Wilton) who also made [George III's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_III_of_the_United_Kingdom) coronation coach. The Latin inscription is by Dr. Samuel Johnson. #### Magazine article ![[henry-thrale-gentlemans-magazine-may-1784.png]] <div class="caption">Gentleman's Magazine - May 1784 account of the mourning tablet.</div> ^b5807a ### Hester Maria Salusbury nee Cotton ![[Hester Maria Salusbury nee Cotton#Burial and mourning tablet]] ## Churchyard Buried in the churchyard are: - [[Susannah Arabella Thrale]] died 1858; and - [Thomas Arthur Bertie Mostyn](https://www.thrale.com/sites/all/libraries/tng/getperson.php?personID=I429&tree=tree01) died 1876 (Susannah's nephew and [[Cecilia Margaretta Thrale]]'s' son) who raised the monument to [[Susannah Arabella Thrale]]. ## See also ![[henry-thrale-1724-1781🔎#^henry-thrale-infoblock]] #history/person/COTTON/hester-maria-born-1707 #history/person/GOLDSMITH/oliver-born-1728 #history/person/JOHNSON/samuel-born-1709 #history/person/MOSTYN/thomas-arthur-bertie-born-1801 #history/person/THRALE/anna-maria-born-1768 #history/person/THRALE/cecilia-margareta-born-1777 #history/person/THRALE/frances-anna-born-1775 #history/person/THRALE/frances-born-1765 #history/person/THRALE/henrietta-sophia-born-1778 #history/person/THRALE/henry-born-1724-1730 #history/person/THRALE/henry-salusbury-born-1767 #history/person/THRALE/hester-maria-born-1764 #history/person/THRALE/lucy-elizabeth-born-1769 #history/person/THRALE/penelope-born-1772 #history/person/THRALE/ralph-born-1698 #history/person/THRALE/sophia-born-1771 #history/person/THRALE/susannah-arabella-born-1770 #history/place/england/surrey/streatham/st-leonards-church ![[Footer#^footer-embed]] [^1]: Bromhead, Heritage of St. Leonard's, pp. 27, 32, 35. [^2]: Henry Thrale's birth date is unconfirmed. He was born between 1724 and 1730.