Sacramento County
Biographies
SIDNEY
GILL THORP
The associations of childhood and youth
were such as to familiarize Mr. Thorp with machinery of all kinds, for he
passed his early life in the great manufacturing town of Manchester, England,
where he was born December 6, 1883, and where for a long period representatives
of the name had been identified with the avocations that brought fame and
prosperity to the city. He was the only son of John and Ann (Harding)
Thorp, natives of Yorkshire and Cheshire respectively. From his earliest recollections he was
interested in the operation and control of machinery and as soon as he had
completed the studies of the city schools he began to serve an apprenticeship
to the machinist's trade. Under the direction of the firm that made the
original type of a certain kind of cotton-spinning machinery, he studied the
intricacies of the occupation and acquired a considerable efficiency as a
workman. To complete the trade, however, required an apprenticeship of
seven years and he was eager to come to America; therefore at the
expiration of five years he relinquished his connection with the firm and cast
in his destiny with the far west, coming in 1903 to Sacramento, where he has
since resided. During the first four years of his association with this
city he was employed in the machine shop of the Southern Pacific Railroad and
later he spent two years as a draughtsman with the same company.
In the meantime a desire to acquire a
knowledge of some other occupation had been formulated in the mind of Mr.
Thorp, who in December of 1909 retired from the railroad service and allied
himself with the Weinstock-Lubin Company, proprietors
of one of the largest department stores of Northern California. For a
time he held the position of floorwalker. In order that he might
familiarize himself with the art of salesmanship he later served in various
retail departments and with accurate precision studied the different
stocks. When qualified for greater responsibilities he was promoted to be
assistant superintendent of the establishment and in this position he has a
general supervision of all the employes in the
establishment. In business he is proving himself to be efficient,
intelligent and capable, attentive to the smallest details, yet grasping in their
entirety the largest plans made by the company for the development of the
concern. An unfailing courtesy and attention to the wishes of customers
characterize him, while a progressive temperament leads him to promote the
latest improvements adopted in the business world. Not only is he
progressive and popular in commercial circles, but socially he also has a high
standing and as a member of the Sutter Club his name has been associated with
prominent civic enterprises and select social functions of the capital
city.
The marriage of Sidney G. Thorp was
solemnized in Grace Pro-Cathedral, San Francisco, by Bishop Nicholls, January 11, 1911, and united him with Miss Ethel Gillett, a graduate of the
Leland Stanford University and one of the most popular and promising young ladies in Sacramento. Mrs. Thorp is a daughter of Hon. James Norris
Gillett, who was born at Viroqua, Wis., September 20, 1860, came to California in 1884 and settled at Eureka. From 1897 to 1899 he represented the Eureka district as state senator. During 1902 he was
elected to congress and at Washington
his service was so effectively beneficial to the state of California that he was re-elected, his second term ending in
1906. The next year witnessed his election on the Republican ticket as
governor of California and he continued as chief executive until 1911, meanwhile
devoting considerable attention to the securing of the Panama Exposition for San Francisco and also aiding to secure an appropriation of $18,000,000
to construct the state highway from the Oregon border to the boundaries of Mexico. Since the expiration of his term as governor he has
devoted his attention largely to the preparation for what promises to be the
greatest exposition the world has ever known, besides looking after his varied
interests, making his home in Oakland. Mr. and Mrs. Thorp are members of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and not only lend their influence and
support to the philanthropies of the congregation, but to all worthy movements
for the betterment of the conditions of the citizens of their adopted city.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis, William L., History of Sacramento
County, California, Pages 541-542. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1913.
© 2005 Sally Kaleta.