From Horsebrook Mill to the Argentinian Pampas
Thomas Large Henly was always full of big, entrepreneurial ideas, which rarely came to fruition because they were too ambitious. He was born in 1826, the son of Abraham Henly, a prosperous Calne wine merchant. Abraham was born in Lyneham in 1788 and married Sarah Stiles of Whitley, Melksham in 1809. His father, Jacob Henly was then living in Lickhill House, the recent home of Patsy Crampton. When his father died Abraham let Lickhill House because he was trading as a wine merchant from premises next to Highlands House. He was Mayor in 1849 and a JP. He moved back into Lickhill House but traded from several different premises during 1840s- Silver Street, London Road – listed in trade directories. He died in 1852. He and Sarah had 10 children of whom Thomas Large Henly was the youngest but one. Large was his grandmother’s maiden name. Thomas married Catherine Baily, daughter of Benjamin Bodman Baily, grain merchant of Berhills Farm and in 1849 while working at the Trevano paper mill at