Another resident of the square was Henry Thrale, the brewer. An admirable man in every respect, he was perhaps best known as the husband of Mrs. Thrale and the friend of Dr. Johnson.
Thrale only lived in Grosvenor Square for a few months, as Boswell wrote on 20th March 1781:
"I found on visiting Thrale, that he was now very ill, and had removed, I suppose by the solicitations of Mrs. Thrale, to a house in Grosvenor Square."
And on the following 4th April, in answer to a call of the Literary Club, Dr. Johnson penned this note, pathetic in its brevity: "Johnson knows that Sir Joshua Reynolds and the other gentlemen will excuse his incompliance with the call, when they are told that Thrale died this morning."
The good Doctor mentioned the sad loss he then sustained in his Diary : "Good Friday, April 13, 1781. — On Wednesday 11th, was buried my dear friend Thrale, who died on Wednesday 4th, and with him were buried many of my hopes and pleasures. About five, I think, on Wednesday morning he expired. I felt almost the last flutter of his pulse, and looked for the last time upon the face that for fifteen years had never been turned upon me but with respect or benignity."