"In May [1894] I had found myself seated at the C.M.S. Annual Meeting, at Exeter Hall, behind Mr. H. E. Thornton, and spoke to him for the first time though we had known and loved his mother, Mrs. Spencer Thornton, & sisters at Broxbourne for years. Mr. Thornton asked me whether our son Jack was in the Hall? as he had often heard of but never seen him; and I pointed Jack out to his future Father-in-law! A week later the Father received one of Mr. H. E. T's amusing postcards saying "Swansea Vicarage is to let; and we are to be at the Grenfells' old home there en famille. Do come." And thus it came about that our two families were thrown together almost daily for a month. Six young Thorntons, and their cousin Grace Trotter and five of ours swam dived and bathed, cycled walked picniced and sang together whilst we six elders, the Thorntons Trotters and ourselves, talked over many mutual interests. Amongst these the Welsh clergy were not forgotten, and Father convened a gathering of 40 of these for the day, and we entertained them at luncheon and tea at a Parish Hall in Swansea before and after their discussions." *Memoirs of Emily Elliott p106

"Ethel came home for Christmas from Sunderland; and told us that Mr. H. E. Thornton had paid them a visit, as he was interested in Jack's work; and had volunteered to contribute half the salary of a lay reader to assist Jack as he thought he ought to have more help. He also gave Jack a warm invitation to take a week's rest in January after the very heavy Xmas & New Year's work; and spend it in their home at the Ropewalk, Nottingham.
On January 11th 1895 dear Father and I returned late from a devotional meeting, where Parents had met specially to intercede for their families, and found lying on the Hall Table a letter addressed in Jack's neat handwriting, with the Nottingham postmark. As we took it into the Dining Room to read, we guessed the contents before breaking the seal! and soon found that our prayers for this dear Son's happiness had been answered. The Father sat up late to assure him of our sympathy and warm approval of his suit, and posted the letter before midnight. Next morning he also telegraphed, knowing that Jack must leave Nottingham and return that day to Sunderland for Sunday duty; and soon we had happy letters telling us of his engagement to Susie - who has been a very dear daughter to us now for nine years. In February '95 both Susie and Esther, and their Mothers, and Jack met one day at Castelnau, Wimbledon, and were introduced to those of the family then at home.
Mr. Thornton objected to long engagements, and as soon as Susie passed her 20th birthday, arrangements were made for the wedding at Nottingham, and a happier one we never attended than her's and Jack's on July 31. '95. The gathering of the Clans is the best part of most of these functions, except for the young couple themselves; and where most are of one mind, and old friends or relatives, and where a fine summer day is secured, nothing can be more enjoyable. Your Father tied the knot - the Bride had six maids to follow her, two of them her own, and two Jack's sisters. The union with the Thornton family was entirely after our hearts, and we were deeply thankful that God had given our Jack, with his young wife, all the good things both for this life and for the next which we, as parents, had for years asked of Him. The large family dinner party after the bridal pair had gone off to Rowsley, Derbyshire, was kept lively by stories from Mrs. Thornton's brother, now Lord Grenfell - who though not then himself a father, had infinite sympathy with, and love for young people; and we experienced that evening none of the proverbial 'depression' after the Bride and her Groom's departure!
On August 1 we all separated; and the Thorntons and our own party made our way respectively to Keswick and Borrodaile." *Memoirs of Emily Elliott pp108-110


Children


With Katherine Charlotte Grenfell (1842-1906):
  1. Nina Katherine Thornton (1871-1951)
  2. Henry Grenfell Thornton (1873-1934)
  3. Susan Thornton (1875-1958)
  4. Pascoe Spencer Thornton (1877-1917)
  5. Claude Cyprian Thornton (1878-1939)
  6. Godfrey St. Leger Thornton (1881-1918)
  7. Gertrude Fanny Thornton (1882-1967)
  8. Rev. John Gordon Thornton (1884-1969)

With Isabel Mary Smith (1866-1945):
  1. Robert Henry Thornton (1909-1984)