[4][5][6] He graduated in 1876, winning a Blue in football whilst at Oxford although he did not play cricket for the university.

As well as making 14 first-class appearances for MCC he played for a variety of other sides and captained EJ Sanders' XI on their tour of North America in 1885.

[7] In his Wisden obituary, Thornton was described as "a free-hitting bat and could bowl both slow-round and lobs", the latter being described as "very successful indeed in club games".

[7] Thornton was ordained as a priest in the Church of England at Chichester in 1878, becoming curate at Sidmouth where his parents owned property.

[9] He became a Clerk in Holy Orders and was chaplain to the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment during the 1890s when he lived at Tunbridge Wells.