The 1871 Census notices a 24 year old Harry J Thurhall [sic] born in Royston, Cambridgeshire.  He was found to be lodging with Edward Lavin at the Mounts Bay House Hotel, Penzance. Johnson & Greutzner list his exhibition dates as 1880-1919 in a broad range of galleries and museums.  It is not known how long Thurnhall was resident here as yet, as this is well before the main influx of Newlyners had arrived.

Bednar points out that since he was in Cornwall in 1871 he may have exhibited with West Cornwall Art Union (first formed in 1852 at Falmouth), but we have no extant catalogues for this period. Only the 1877 and 1884 exist in our present collections. Otherwise, nationally he began to exhibit in 1873. 

The artist died in Royston, Cambridgeshire, where he was born.