Individual Details

Yeovil's Virtual Museum,
the A-to-Z of Yeovil's History

by Bob Osborn

John Tomkins was the fifth of the eight children of the Reverend Thomas Tomkins (d1839, Yeovil) and Mary née Messiter (d1830, Yeovil). He was born on 22 August 1795 and baptised on 24 August 1795 in Piddlehinton, Dorset. Thomas and Mary’s children were – Elizabeth Mary (1789-1806), Edwin (1790-1861), Thomas (b1792), Moulton (1794-1812), John (1795-1858), William (b1799), Letitia (1800-1801) and Letitia Messiter (b1803). Elizabeth, Edwin, Thomas and Moulton were all born in Blackford, while William, Letitia and Letitia Messiter were all born in Yeovil.

Indeed, it appears that Rev Thomas Tomkins moved his family to Yeovil around 1798. He moved to Thornfalcon in 1836, where he was “instituted by the Bishop of Bath and Wells (on the petition of John Batten Esq) to the rectory of Thorn Faulcon”.

John Tomkins oldest brother Edwin, was a solicitor of Princes Street while his younger brother, William, was a doctor and surgeon, also of Princes Street.

On 21 January 1810, John Tomkins’ older brother, Moulton Tomkins, took articles of clerkship with Edmund Batten and John Batten of Yeovil, on which John Tomkins signed as a witness. Sadly, Moulton Tomkins did not complete his clerkship as he died in 1812 at the age of 18. He was buried in Yeovil on 26 March 1812.

On 15 June 1812, John Tomkins himself took articles of clerkship with Edmund Batten and John Batten of Yeovil as “Clerk in the practice and profession of attorney solicitor and conveyancer”. It is assumed that he would have completed his 5 year clerkship in 1817.

John Tomkins was working as a solicitor in London by 1825, where he lived for the rest of his life. Around 1832, he married a woman called Harriette; they were to have two daughters - Emily Mansfield (b1835) and Harriette Letitia (b1838).

John was a member of the Somersetshire Society of "Gentlemen connected with the County of Somerset". The object of the society was noted as "... confined to the apprenticing of children of the deserving poor belonging to the county of Somerset, resident in London, and afterwards to assist them in beginning business".

John died, aged 62, on 5 February 1858 at King's College Hospital, London. He was buried in Hackney, Middlesex, on 8 February 1858.
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John Tomkins, the son of the Reverend Thomas Tomkins and Mary Tomkins (nee Messiter) was born on 22nd August 1795 and baptised on 24th August 1795 in Piddlehinton, Dorset.
In 1811, John Tomkins’ older brother, Moulton Tomkins took articles of clerkship with Edmund Batten and John Batten of Yeovil, on which John Tomkins signed as a witness. Sadly, Moulton Tomkins did not complete his clerkship as he died in 1812 at the age of 18 and was buried in Yeovil on 26th March 1812.
In 1812, John Tomkins himself took articles of clerkship with Edmund Batten and John Batten of Yeovil as “Clerk in the practice and profession of attorney solicitor and conveyancer”. It is assumed that he would have completed his 5 year clerkship in 1817.
About 1818 or 1819, John Tomkins fathered a daughter, Elisa, in North Dorset or South Somerset. She was to come back into his life later.
John Tomkins was working as a solicitor in London by 1825, and possibly as early as 1820. Between 1825 and 1838 several newspaper adverts for property for sale or let name John Tomkins of 3 Essex Court, Temple, London as the person to contact. One in particular, in the Dorset County Chronicle and Somersetshire Gazette dated August 17 1826, names not just Mr Tomkins of 3 Essex Court, Temple, London but also Mr J Batten, solicitor of Yeovil as handling the sale of the Manor or Lordship of Rampisham, Dorset.
Between 1830 and 1840, John Tomkins appeared in numerous trade directories as a solicitor with the business address of 3 Essex Court. Essex Court was very close to the law courts and occupied by numerous barristers and solicitors. One of his near neighbours with offices in Essex Street was another solicitor, George Weller, who would later marry John Tomkins' daughter Elisa.
On 27th September 1835, John and Harriette Tomkins of Chancery Lane baptised a daughter Emily Mansfield Tomkins at St Dunstan's In The West. That church is adjacent to the site of the barber shop, of Sweeney Todd, the infamous demon barber of Fleet Street.
On 18th April 1838, John and Harriette Tomkins of 35 Carey Street baptised a daughter Harriette Letitia Tomkins at St Clement Danes. That rather grand church is the “Oranges and Lemons” church from the well-known nursery rhyme. George Weller also lived in Carey Street at one time.
https://www.explorechurches.org/church/st-clement-danes-strand
In the 1841 census, John Tomkins seems to be lodging with members of the Woollacot family at 31 Gloucester Street, St George The Martyr, Holborn London, along with a Sarah Tomkins. Sarah Tomkins was shown as being 5 years his junior, though that would only be approximate as in the 1841 census, adult’s ages were rounded down to the nearest 5 years.
In the 1851 census, John Tomkins is listed as a retired solicitor living at 2 Portsmouth Street, St Giles in the Fields, Middlesex, along with his daughter Elisa, who is stated to be a visitor.
On 25th August 1855 John Tomkins’ daughter Elisa married his contemporary, the widowed solicitor George Weller at St Giles In The Fields Church, Holborn, London. Elisa was 36 and George Weller was 62. Despite their respective ages, they went on to have 2 sons together.
In the 1856 Post Office directory, the address of John Tomkins is listed as 2 Portsmouth Street, Lincolns Inn Fields. This is consistent with the marriage record of daughter Elisa in 1855 where her address is stated to be Lincolns Inn Fields.
John Tomkins died on 5th February 1858 at King's College Hospital, London, which at that time was sited very close to Lincoln's Inn Field and St Clement Dane's Church. On his death certificate, under cause of death is written: “Paralysis” “Erysipelas” and “Certified”.
John Tomkins was buried in Hackney, London on 8th February 1858.

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Ryan WELLER says: I have attached the marriage record for my 2 x great grandparents, George Weller, a widowed solicitor aged 62 to Elisa Tomkins, aspinster aged 36, the daughter of John Tomkins, also a solicitor. This was in London in 1855 and is where my paternal Weller line meets my Tomkins line.
Apart from the baptism record, I have found records for:
John Tomkins the son of The reverend Thomas Tmkins taking articles of clerkship in 1812 with Edmund Batten and John Batten in Yeovil (attached). John Tomkins was also a signatory in 1811 on the articles’ of clerkship for his brother, the ill-fated Moulton Tomkins.
Between 1825 and 1829, several newsaper advertisements for properties for sale or let where the person to contact is Mr John Tomkins of 3 Essex Court, Temple, London. In one of these, the sale of the manor of Rampisham in Dorset in 1826, Battens of Yeovil were also named as people to contct, so it seems they remained in contact with John Tomkins.
Several business directories between 1830 and 1840 showing John Tomkins the solicitor at 3 Essex Court, Temple. George Weller’s solicitors offices were nearby, so they must have known each other professionally for some time.
The 1851 census where John Tomkins and Eliza Tomkins appear together as father and daughter. The address is within the local area where he lived and worked previously. John Tomkins is described as a retired solicitor. His place of birth appears to be stated as Piddletrenthide, Dorset, the place where Reverend Thomas Tomkins’ mother lived.
the A-to-Z of Yeovil's History
 
by Bob Osborn
yeovil people John Tomkins Attorney at Law
 
John Tomkins was the fifth of the eight children of the Reverend Thomas Tomkins (d1839, Yeovil) and Mary née Messiter (d1830, Yeovil). He was born on 22 August 1795 and baptised on 24 August 1795 in Piddlehinton, Dorset. Thomas and Mary’s children were – Elizabeth Mary (1789-1806), Edwin (1790-1861), Thomas (b1792), Moulton (1794-1812), John (1795-1858), William (b1799), Letitia (1800-1801) and Letitia Messiter (b1803). Elizabeth, Edwin, Thomas and Moulton were all born in Blackford, while William, Letitia and Letitia Messiter were all born in Yeovil.
Indeed, it appears that Rev Thomas Tomkins moved his family to Yeovil around 1798. He moved to Thornfalcon in 1836, where he was “instituted by the Bishop of Bath and Wells (on the petition of John Batten Esq) to the rectory of Thorn Faulcon”.
John Tomkins oldest brother Edwin, was a solicitor of Princes Street while his younger brother, William, was a doctor and surgeon, also of Princes Street.
On 21 January 1810, John Tomkins’ older brother, Moulton Tomkins, took articles of clerkship with Edmund Batten and John Batten of Yeovil, on which John Tomkins signed as a witness. Sadly, Moulton Tomkins did not complete his clerkship as he died in 1812 at the age of 18. He was buried in Yeovil on 26 March 1812.
On 15 June 1812, John Tomkins himself took articles of clerkship with Edmund Batten and John Batten of Yeovil as “Clerk in the practice and profession of attorney solicitor and conveyancer”. It is assumed that he would have completed his 5 year clerkship in 1817.
John Tomkins was working as a solicitor in London by 1825, where he lived for the rest of his life. Around 1832, he married a woman called Harriette; they were to have two daughters - Emily Mansfield (b1835) and Harriette Letitia (b1838).
John was a member of the Somersetshire Society of "Gentlemen connected with the County of Somerset". The object of the society was noted as "... confined to the apprenticing of children of the deserving poor belonging to the county of Somerset, resident in London, and afterwards to assist them in beginning business".
John died, aged 62, on 5 February 1858 at King's College Hospital, London. He was buried in Hackney, Middlesex, on 8 February 1858.