Pedigree of Wandesford of Kirklington
Source:Visitation of Yorkshire, Sir.William Dugdale, A.D. 1665 and 1666
Alice Osborne, only daughter of Sir Hewett Osborne and sister to Sir Edward Osborne, married in September, 1614, Christopher Wandesford(1592–1640), politician from Bishop Burton, Beverley, Yorkshire. Alice was his second wife. They had 5 children: George, Christopher, John, Alice and Catherine.
Their daughter Alice (1626–1707), autobiographer, was born on 13 February 1626 in Kirklington.
Alice (1626–1707) spent her childhood as the pampered daughter of a prospering family: ‘I enjoyed great easiness and comfort during my honoured father's life, having the fortunate opportunity of the best education that kingdom could afford.’ Her father was a friend, of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford and Alice was educated with Wentworth's daughters in the traditional female pursuits of French, music, dancing, embroidery,etc. She married on 15 December 1651 to William Thornton (b. 1624), of East Newton, Yorkshire, son and heir of the late Robert, whose parliamentarian connections were seen as useful to her royalist family. William died in 1668. They had 9 children, only three survived to adulthood: Robert, Alice and Katherine.
Her son Robert (1662–1692), an Anglican clergyman, predeceased her.
Her younger brother Christopher, was eventual heir to the Wandesford estates.
Alice Thornton died in 1707 in East Newton and was buried on 1 February in the parish church at Stonegrave. Her will indicates a modest estate, although the bulk of her household goods had been settled earlier on her daughters Alice (b. 1654), the widow of Dr Thomas Comber, dean of Durham, and Katherine (b. 1656), wife of Robert Danby of Northallerton, gentleman.
Source:Oxford DNB