Place name
George Thornhill (June 12, 1783 – May 19, 1852) was a landowner, lawyer and Conservative Member of Parliament who first proposed developing the fields around Islington for housing. He was the only son of another George Thornhill, of Diddington Hall, Huntingdonshire, (since demolished). The family owned vast tracts of land in Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire as well as in Islington. In 1808 George Thornhill senior proposed developing the family’s fields which had been previously used for dairy cattle. After a false start he appointed Joseph Kay as surveyor in 1813. When his father died in 1827, George junior continued the work choosing street names after family connections. Thornhill Square was begun sometime around 1847 with a Mr GS Williams building 33 houses on the west, the central gardens having railings dating from about 1852. Thornhill Crescent was begun in 1849. In 1836 Thornhill became High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire and the following year he was elected to Parliament for the Huntingdonshire constituency, holding the seat until his death.
