Nat Gould

Robert Tomkinson 1821-1889

Robert Tomkinson was born in 1821 at Endon in Staffordshire, the son of Thomas Tomkinson 1780-1834 and his wife née Ellen Peake 1779-1859, and was baptised there on 6 July 1821.

He became a clergyman of the Church of England.

On 6 March 1853 at Wanstead in Essex he married Maria Rebecca Wilson née Ward, widow of the late Reverend Francis Colman Wilson, incumbent of All Saints', Islington in London (1) who had died in 1848. She had a daughter Emma Wilson (born in 1836).

Chipping Warden church

At the time of his marriage the Reverend Robert Tomkinson was Curate of St James's church in Hull.

Afterwards he was successively Curate of Ashley in Cambridgeshire by 1861, Vicar of Kirtley in Cambridgeshire by 1871 and Rector of Chipping Warden in Northamptonshire by 1881.

Sadly by 1871 a resident medical nurse was required in the household at Kirtley Vicarage, and when the Census was taken in 1881 Maria Rebecca Tomkinson was recorded as mentally ill. She died at Chipping Warden Rectory on 11 December 1883 (2).

Her widower married Fanny Eliza Ward on 18 April 1885 at St Paul's church in Stafford (3).

The Reverend Robert Tomkinson died on 22 April 1889 at Chipping Warden Rectory.

His Will was proved at the Principal Probate Registry in London on 18 July 1889 (4).

His widow Fanny Eliza Tomkinson née Ward died at Cambridge on 22 December 1914.

Her Will was proved at Peterborough on 9 February 1915 (5).

(1) "MARRIED On the 6th inst., at St Mary's, Wanstead, Essex, the Rev. Robert Tomkinson, curate of St. James's, Kingston-upon-Hull, to Maria Rebecca, widow of the late Rev. Francis Colman Wilson, incumbent of All Saints', Islington." Morning Chronicle 8 March 1853.
(2) "DEATHS... TOMKINSON. - Dec. 11, at Chipping Warden Rectory, Maria Rebecca Tomkinson, wife of R. Tomkinson, rector." Northern Echo (Durham) 18 December 1883.
(3) " MARRIAGES. April 8, at St. Paul's Church, Stafford, by the Rev. J.T. Owen, M.A., the Rev. R. TOMKINSON rector of Chipping Warden, to FANNY ELIZA, second daughter of the late HENRY WARD, Esq., of Stafford." Northampton Mercury 25 April 1885.
A similar notice appeared in the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser on 25 April 1885.
(4) "18 July. The Will of the Reverend Robert Tomkinson late of the Rectory Chipping Warden near Banbury in the County of Northampton Clerk who died 22 April 1889 at the Rectory was proved at the Principal Registry by Fanny Eliza Tomkinson of Wallington in the County of Surrey Widow the Relict the sole Executrix. Personal Estate £505 14s 9d. Resworn November 1889 £540 17s 6d." National Probate Calendar Index of Wills and Administrations 1858-1966 (1889) page 203.
(5) "TOMKINSON Fanny Eliza of 6 The Terrace Mount Pleasant Cambridge widow died 22 December 1914 Probate Peterborough 9 February to Christiana Susannah Louisa Ward spinster and the reverend John Frank Buxton clerk. Effects £2273 2s 2d." National Probate Calendar Index of Wills and Administrations 1858-1966 (1915) page 82.