Thomas Sinton

Thomas Sinton, JP (February 1826 – 20 August 1887) was an Irish industrialist and magistrate. Sinton made a significant impact upon the Irish linen trade; not least establishing the village of Laurelvale, County Armagh.

Thomas Sinton was born in Tamnaghmore House, Tandragee, County Armagh, the son of David Sinton and Sarah Green; his brother was John Sinton. The Sintons, like so many of Northern Ireland's linen families, were Quakers, in this case of Scottish descent; although the Sintons had been settled at Tamnaghmore for several hundred years. Sinton's father, David Sinton (1792-1860), was the first cousin of American multimillionaire David Sinton. Thomas Sinton was sent to board at Friends' School, Lisburn – a Quaker school. In 1859 he married Elizabeth Bridget Hesilridge Buckby (1835–1900), her family lived at Prospect House, Tandragee. He had eight children by his wife;

  • (William) Maynard Sinton, JP (High Sheriff of Armagh and Unionist County Councillor for County Armagh[1] – lived at Ballyards Castle)[2]
  • David Arthur Sinton, of Stramore House, Gilford (1862-1919, d.s.p.)
  • Dorothy Hesilridge Sinton (1863-1949, d.s.p.)
  • Elizabeth Sinton (1865-1865)
  • Thomas Greville Sinton, JP; lived at Laurelvale House, served as High Sheriff of Armagh (1930) and as a magistrate (1866-1940, d.s.p.)
  • Alfred Henry Hesilridge Sinton, of Hill House, Laurelvale (1868-1932, d.s.p.)
  • Frederick Buckby Sinton, of Banford House, Tullylish, Gilford (1870-1943)
  • Jemima Sarah Isabella Sinton (1872-1952, m. Isaac van Abbe, a Dutchman)

Sinton died at his home, Laurelvale House (later the home of Michael Torrens-Spence), and was buried at Moyallon[3] Friends' Burial Ground, Gilford. His effects were valued, in 1887, at over £100,000. Sinton, through his brother John Sinton, was a great-uncle of the soldier and doctor John Alexander Sinton.

  1. ^ Alvin Jackson (December 1990). "Unionist Politics and Protestant Society in Edwardian Ireland" (PDF). The Historical Journal. 33 (4): 839–866. doi:10.1017/S0018246X00013789. hdl:20.500.11820/0d2349d2-d22a-4cd2-bd91-d14b4cce7689. JSTOR 2639801. S2CID 153865764.
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 July 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)