Thomas Wale

Thomas Wale was a Cambridgeshire gentleman born at Risby on the 7 September 1701 and died in 1796. He is notable for having left a significant quantity of documents collated throughout his life which constituted the book "My Grandfather's Pocket Book". His documents provide a unique insight into eighteenth century English life. The Oxford Dictionary Of National Biography refers to him as "an eighteenth-century squire".

Background

He was the son of Margaret Sparke of Risby and Gregory Wale. His personal papers were sealed in a cupboard in his house and only discovered a century later when the property was destroyed. These papers form the basis of the book "My Grandfather's Pocket Book", published by his Grandson.

Early life

He grew up and was educated at Raslingworth, Walden, and London. He became an apprentice to Mr William Allen at Lynn for six years, starting in about 1718.

Career

Thomas Wale was a merchant in Riga and Narva over a period of thirty years. He described his occupation as "trafic and merchantdise" (page 339). Part of his business involved the trade of ships' masts. This family business had been commenced in the seventeenth century. It passed under a number of different names during the eighteenth century, according to his current partners. Most notably it was known as Wale, Fraser & Company (c1747), Wale, Auchterlony and company and
Wale, Peirson & Ouchterlony. He also pursued farming in Cambridgeshire.

The family Business

In 1653 Robert Wale's wife was joyntured for life out of Harston Hall and her son Robert started the merchants business at Riga with £500 obtained by mortgage on this property. The Hall had been purchased by an earlier Thomas Wale in 1613.

Thomas Wale first visited Riga in 1724 aboard the Larke and traded there until 1730. He described his early business there as "chiefly in the factorage and commission way: For his said patron Mr Allen and his own friends".

Family life

He married Louisa Rudolphina Rahten at Mittau, Courland, Poland on 17 March 1749. They married again in Riga in 1760 "to convince the world of their connubil rights". She was the daughter of Hoff Prediger the Reverend Nicolaus Friedrich Rahten of Lunenburg, Brunswick.

Thomas Wale had eight children, but only four survived. His sons included General Sir Charles Wale (born 15 August 1752) who became Colonel of the 33rd (The Duke of Wellington's) Regiment of Foot on 25 February 1831. Charles Wale was the last Britishgovernor of Martinique between about 1812 and 1815. He was responsible for capturing Guadeloupe from the French and was given the governorship in recognition of this.

Thomas Wale's sister Margaret Hurrell (born 24 February 1699) lived at Harston, probably in Harston Hall. Wale was a frequent visitor there. She left a detailed accounts book of her expenditure, including reference to Thomas Wale.

He left one of the earliest descriptions of how foreigners became naturalised in England.

Other Details

He left papers containing to all details of his life and times, including recipes, ledgers, descriptions of his journeys and family, and copies of contemporary documents.

As well as accounts of his travels within England, Thomas Wale also left details about his voyages to Russia, Switzerland and Scotland.

Further reading

*cite book
title=My Grandfather's Pocket Book. From A.D. 1701 to 1796|author=Reverend Henry John Wale M.A.
publisher=Chapman and Hall|location=London|date=1883