![[Header#^header-embed]] > [!SUMMARY] > Thrale.com has received enquiries about Sarah Tarver née Fox and a wealthy brewer called Thraille. Although we are not much further forward this page, sets out what is known so far to assist in solving the puzzle. ## 2004 Research by [Alan Cristall](mailto:[email protected]) in 2004 identified that in the mid-1700s, a woman called Sarah Fox was married to a wealthy brewer named Thraile, who, for the benefit of his health took his wife to live in France and died shortly afterwards, leaving her a wealthy young widow. Thus far it has not been possible to identify who Mr Thraile was and which brewery he owned. > [!QUOTE] The full story in Alan Cristall's words … > I am afraid I know little of the elusive wealthy brewer named Thraile other than that which I have already told you (see below). I will, however, give you the big picture. > The first reference that I am aware of is contained in a letter written in 1880 by Henry Cristall to his nephew, Joseph Tarver, who had asked Henry for information about his grandfather, John Tarver. The following is an extract from the letter: > > > I fear that I cannot help you in your endeavours to find particulars of the late John Tarver your Grandsire.  Of course you are aware that you Grandmother was a Miss Sarah Fox and she married one Mr Thrale a wealthy brewer who unfortunately was of poor constitution and soon after their marriage went to the Continent for the benefit of change, but he very soon died and left his pretty young widow all his property. > Very shortly after his death, she became acquainted with Mr J Tarver who gave out that he was travelling for amusement. He made up to the pretty English widow and ultimately married her and they lived in good style. She had three children by him - William Tarver, Adelaide Tarver and John Charles Tarver, your Father. > When the property was nearly all spent the [Revolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eton_College) broke out. Your Grandfather cut away, leaving his wife and Children in Paris. The eldest son was sent over to London and my father took charge of him and got him appointed as Midshipman on board a Man of War. Very shortly after that your Grandmother and the two Children were with all other English put into the [Bastille](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille) and did not know their fate. > There was one Mr Fesser who took great interest in her misfortune, being forsaken by her husband and without means. He obtained their release from prison and managed to send her and her daughter Adelaide to England and he adopted your Father John Charles and educated him and ultimately got him appointed as Secretary to a French Admiral. > There is more to this fascinating story, including the fact that John Charles eventually came to England and became French Tutor at [Eton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eton_College) and a personal tutor to the Prince of Wales, but I am afraid there is no further mention of Mr Thrale (or Thraile). An interesting coincidence is that several of the Cristall family worked at the [[1758-1781 owner Henry Thrale MP|Anchor Brewery]]. George More McLeod, who married Ellen Cristall (1813-1888) was at one time the brewery manager. Harry Cristall (1835-1914) travelled to Russia on behalf of the brewery and eventually became Head Collector. Charles Henry Cristall (1849-1926) was described in 1877 as a Brewer's Guager, and in 1898 as a Brewer's Collector. Edward Cristall, Harry's son (1870-1966) was a clerk at the brewery. There may have been more. > Just one more snippet.  Harry Cristall was a founder member of a Freemason's Lodge in Upper Norwood in 1877. The name of the Lodge? Anchor Lodge! ## 2005 In April 2005, Thrale.com received the following email, which gives a little more background but doesn't solve the problem. > [!QUOTE] Email from [Peter Gundry](mailto:[email protected]) > I am not related but started researching MORE & McLEOD as Annie Augusta ROSKRUGE (the great-aunt of my cousin Dorothy Gundry in Cornwall) married Bentley MORE, Gentleman, at St Keverne, Cornwall on 29 Apr 1890. The "Gentleman" (living on independent mean) bit fascinated me and I found his brother, and McLeod cousins of the same generation, all to be in the same non-predicament with fathers having been brewers (one exception was a Bentley McLeod, Brewer age 24, in 1871 Census but I have yet to find parents for him as 1861 census transcriptions are very poor). > My research is still in its early stages and much of the data I have collected has not yet been plugged into my database but a search for a possible brewery the More's & McLeod's may have been involved in took me to your web page. > I have not been able to locate George More McLeod, who married Ellen Cristall, in any census unless he was younger brother of Bentley McLeod who married Ellen's sister Louisa Jane Cristall. Bentley's brother George did not have "More" as second name when he was Christened 5 Mar 1814. In total I found 12 children in IGI indexes for Bentley McLeod & Mary Hawks with the first nine having been born Gateshead between 1795 & 1809 and the next three Christened Kirklevington, Yorkshire between 1813 & 1815 - there may well have been one or two born elsewhere in the gap period. > I would appreciate it if you would please provide me with any information you have on the children of George McLeod & Ellen Cristall. I am also emailing my brother in Edinburgh to see if he can find out whether there may also have been brewing interests in the marriage of two daughters of Robert Schaw & Mary Auld - one Mary Jamieson Schaw married Thomas Hawks McLeod and another, Helen married John McLeod More, a nephew of Thomas Hawks McLeod. ## See also ![[henry-thrale-1724-1781🔎#^henry-thrale-infoblock]] #history/person/FOX/sarah #history/person/THRALE/henry-born-1724-1730 #history/place/england/surrey/southwark/anchor-brewery ![[Footer#^footer-embed]]