Thomas Wale - Family Life

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 British governor 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.

Wale's sister Margaret Wale (born 24 February 1699 died 1762) lived at Harston, probably in Harston Hall. She married Allen Hurrell (senior, died 1740) at Little Shelford on the 12 January 1719 and their daughter Margaret Hurrell (junior) married John (Littel) Bridge (died 1776, buried at Harston) an "eminent counsellor at law" at Lackford, near Risby, Suffolk near Bury St Edmunds in 1752 John Littel Bridge's brother Thomas was also in business in Riga, associated with Thomas Wale. Margaret Bridge's son was Thomas Bridge (Little) of Shudy Camps (died c1830). Thomas Bridge's daughter Henrietta Bridge married William Long and their daughter was Henrietta Langhorne. All of the above were notable landowners in Harston John Littel Bridge was the son of Robert Bridge of Shudy Camps and Sarah (or Susanna) daughter of Thomas (or John) Littel of Halstead Co, Essex

Thomas Wale left an early description of how foreigners became naturalised in England.