George Tomline

Born in London, George Tomline was a member of Parliament for Sudbury (1840-1841), Shrewsbury (1841-1847; 1852-1868) and Great Grimsby (1868-1874) and founder of the Port of Felixstowe. He was also known as “Colonel” George Tomline.

Tomline was educated at Eton College and later remembered his alma mater by founding the Tomline Prize in Mathematics. He embarked on a grand tour through Europe, which was then customary amongst upper-class young men.

Tomline inherited the estates of his father (William Edward Tomline, 1787-1836): Riby Grove in Lincolnshire in 1836, and Orwell Park. The Scottish architect William Burn extended Orwell Park for Tomline between 1851 and 1853. Tomline was an eager astronomer, and further additions, including the observatory tower, were made in 1873. He also inherited from his mother an estate in Shropshire and became the second-largest landowner in Suffolk.

Orwell Park also housed Tomline’s collection of books and paintings. A report by the Science Gossip Society, following a visit to Orwell Park in 1874, offers this observation: “In the drawing room Tomline had a portrait of Napoleon by Paul de la Roche, which was flanked by paintings by two English artists, Sohold and Stanfield. The central piece of the room was a white marble mantelpiece. In the picture gallery were paintings by: Caraoci, Murillo, Caraccio, Cuyp and Rembrandt. Throughout the mansion there were oak cabinets, bronzes, china vases and other sculptures, including a marble head of Napoleon (…)”

Is it possible that the Cuyp mentioned in this account was Aelbert Cuyp’s Paysage avec animaux, which had been part of Adolphe Schloss’ collection before it was confiscated on 16 April 1943. This painting is also mentioned as part of the A. Seymour Sale in London, on 1 July 1896.

Tomline never married. He died in 1889 at his London residence at 1 Carlton House. His estate passed to Ernest George Pretyman (1859-1931).

Links:

·        https://web.archive.org/web/20050802094829/http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~ipswich/Observatory/Tomline.htm ·        https://www.thedicamillo.com/house/orwell-park/ http://everything.explained.today/George_Tomline_%28politician%29/