Catalogue description Tomlin Papers

920 TOM/1. - 1860. Letters arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent, approx. 2,650 docs., c. 1840-1901

920 TOM/1861. Papers relating to the Additional Curates' Society, 2 docs., 1857, 1858

920 TOM/1862. Papers relating to sanitary and social improvement, 4 docs., 1875-1878

920 TOM/1863. Papers relating to the Ladies' Sanitary Association, 7 docs., 1878, n.d.

920 TOM/1864. Invitations, 11 docs., c. 1845-1870

920 TOM/1865. Portraits, 30 items, n.d.

920 TOM/1866. Printed material, 37 items, c. 1830-1900

920 TOM/1867. Signatures and autographs, 31 docs., n.d.

920 TOM/1868. Topographical views, photographs etc., 10 items, n.d.

920 TOM/1869. Visiting cards, 3 items, n.d.

920 TOM/1870. English newspapers, 5 items, 1805-1837, 1899

920 TOM/1871. Foreign newspapers, 1 item, 1855

920 TOM/1872. Papers relating to the Hawaiian Church Mission, 14 docs., c. 1862-1894

920 TOM/1873. Hawaiian newspapers, 3 items, 1862, 1865

920 TOM/1874. Newscuttings on the death of King Kanehameha of Hawaii, 9 cuttings, n.d.

920 TOM/1875. Papers relating to the Church of Our Lady and St. Nicholas, Chapel Street, Liverpool, 7 docs., 1693, 1836-1878

920 TOM/1876. Petitions in support of the provision of house-baths for working men campaign, 1878, 3 docs., [1878]

920 TOM/1877. Views of churches, 12 items, 1846, n.d.

920 TOM/1878. Watercolours and pencil drawings, 8 items, 19th century

920 TOM/1879. Miscellaneous, 7 docs., n.d.

When received by this library the letters etc. were mounted in four loose-leaf folders, each measuring c. 18" x 12". The documents have now been removed from these folders and have been arranged (and listed) alphabetically by name of correspondent.

Tomlin, Alfred John, fl 1844-1872, curate

Acc. 1771

The papers listed below were given to this library in October 1966 as a donation from the John Gilpin Trust (via F. Harlan-Taylor, Esq., National Provincial Bank, 509 Prescot Road, Old Swan, Liverpool 15). Earlier in 1966 the papers had been discovered in a house in Chester by a workman and they were then purchased by the John Gilpin Trust for this library.

• Additional Curates Society, Chester

An index to the correspondents is provided in the Index to Archive Lists.

The Rev. Alfred John Tomlin was a clergyman about whom few biographical details have been traced. According to Crockford's Clerical Directory for 1889, p. 1257, Tomlin graduated from Queen's College, Cambridge, in 1844. From 1844-1846 he served as a curate in Bradford, Yorkshire and from 1846-1872 he was a curate in the Parish of Liverpool (at the Parochial Chapel of St. Nicholas, Chapel Street). He was curate of St. Luke's, Lower Tranmere from 1872-1883, becoming Vicar of that church in 1883. (According to Crockfords, 1883, p. 1153 he became Curate of St. Catherine's and Vicar designate of St. Luke's Lower Tranmere in 1872).

From 1851 Tomlin acted as [Chester] Diocesan Secretary of the Additional Curates Society. The object of this Society was to maint in curates, especially in the slums and poorer suburbs of large towns and cities. He also had extensive interests in other social work, notably in conducting a campaign for the provision of house-baths for working men.

It was through his work for the Additional Curates Society and other causes that Tomlin sought patronage and support from famous people. He therefore approached and corresponded with many of the eminent figures of his time. The papers listed below are largely made up of letters received by Tomlin in reply to his correspondence with people notable both nationally and locally.

• View Record
• View Record