Walter Tomlinson

 The Importance of Art

Carlton Terrace

Evening Express

Carlton Terrace, Swansea, 1909, Walter Tomlinson died. Walter was a Artist, Author and Journalist.  Tomlinson was buried at Danygraig Cemetery.  His death was reported in the Evening Express

Walter was the assistant curator at the Swansea Corporation Art Gallery, prior to this he pursued a career as a journalistic artist in Manchester and then in Swansea.

Walter was born in 1834, Worcestershire. He was the son of William Tomlinson and Sarah Cooper, who were married in 1832, Redditch, Worcester.

The Tomlinson family at the time of the 1841 census were residing at Tardebigg, Worcester.  William and Sarah were both 30 years old, and Walter, 7, and a younger son, Thomas, 4.

1841 Census

By the time of the 1851 census, the family had moved to Twickenham, Middlesex, living at School Alley, School House.

1851 Census

William, who was 40, was a teacher.  Sarah, 39.

Their children were Walter, 17, who was a student in Drawing.  Thomas George, 14; Alfred Henry, 8, and Mary Louisa, 5, were all attending school.

A decade later at the time of the 1861 census, Walter, had moved to Peckenham, Worcester, residing at 150 Hunt End, with his family.

1861 Census

Walter, 27, who was employed as an artist oil painter. His wife, Mary Jame, was 29.  They were married during 1857, at St. Bartholomew the Great, City of London.

Their daughter, Ella, was 2 months old.

The Tomlinson family had grown by the time of the 1871 census.  They had moved to Tottenham, Middlesex, residing at 29 Church Row Terrace.

1871 Census

Walter, 37, was now an artist and journalist. Mary A., was 39.  Their children were Helen, 10; Bell, 5, and Lizzie, 4 who all attended school.

Yet another move by the Tomlinson family by the time of the 1881 census, this time they were living at 5 St. John Street, Rusholme, Lancashire.

1881 Census

Walter, 47, an artist. Mary J., 49.

Sarah, 69, mother of Walter was living with them.  Two of their children, Ella, 20 who was a music teacher and Bell, 15, who was a Pupil Teacher.

1891, Walter and his daughter, Bell had moved to 21 Alexandra Grove, Rusholme, Lancashire.  Walter, was 55 and his occupation is recorded as journalist artist and painter. Bell, was 25, who was a school assistant.  The census records that Walter was married, with a record of a wife

1891 Census

Also present was Livina M. Marshfield, 15 a servant.

Mary Jane died in 1887. 1890 Walter married for the second time to Marian Miranda Bent.

1901 the last census that Walter is recorded on.

1901 Census

Walter, 67, was a artist author and journalist. Marian, 41, was a dressmaker.  They had a son, Noel L., 7, who was a schoolboy.

Also present at the property was Sarah E. Godman, 24, a servant.

The Swansea Journal
and South Wales Liberal

The Swansea Journal and South Wales Liberal published an article December 1895, that there was editor, Mr. J. C. Edwards Morgan.  Walter was the chief of the artistic department.

The Cambria Daily Leader

R. D. Burnie

Five years later, 1900, The Cambria Daily Leader, published an article that stated that Walter had painted a life-size portrait of R. D. Burnie, JP, and the ex-MP.  Walter had donated the portrait to Reference Library.  Burnie has laid the library’s foundation stone, in 1884.

So, where has the portrait ended up today?