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his death, was one of the Governors. Ever an encourager of thrift, he was one of the Executive Committee of the Huddersfield Savings Bank, and was Chairman of the Board when he died. He took a keen interest in the Huddersfield Subscription Library, of which he was President, and some years ago he compiled and printed a history of that useful institution. Though a staunch Conservative, he took no active part in politics. In December, 1886, he was placed on the Commission of the Peace for the Borough, and was a regular attender on the Bench, and most careful in his decisions.

During the years 1895 and 1896 he was Churchwarden of the Parish Church, and was mainly instrumental in obtaining a permanent Parochial Hall in connection therewith. Many pleasant and graceful contributions were made by him to the Parish Magazine concerning the history of the fabric of the church, and of those who had been called to serve within its walls.

His last great work for the town was the promotion of the Castle Hill Tower Scheme to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, but he only lived long enough to see its success placed beyond doubt.

The following letter is so characteristic of him, that I consider it ought to be inserted in this notice-especially as it was the last but one he wrote to the press.1

THE PROPOSED TOWER ON CASTLE HILL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HUDDERSFIELD DAILY CHRONICLE.

DEAR SIR,-There appears to be a great diversity of opinion at present as to the best way of showing our loyalty when Her Majesty will have completed her 60 years' reign, the longest reign in English history, and very nearly the longest reign in the history of the world.

1 took the opportunity of writing a letter on this subject to the Mayor, which he was good enough to allow to be read at the meeting in the Town Hall. In this letter I ventured to suggest that an event of this kind should be marked by some permanent memorial which future generations might be able to see and associate always and solely with the event, and if such a memorial could at the same time be an ornament to the town, so much the better.

I think the fault of our town has been that too little attention has been paid to its ornamentation-I mean its ornamentation apart from mere utility.

Another short letter was sent to the same paper later on, advocating the

Tower, and recapitulating the advantages of the scheme.

Huddersfield, with its widely extended municipal boundary, has a feature within its borders which I believe to be unique. I know of no city or borough in the kingdom with an elevation 900 feet above sealevel such as we have in Castle Hill I, therefore, proposed that a tower should be built on the summit of the hill, with a platform on the top at least 100 feet high, making a total height of a thousand feet.

It is unnecessary here to dwell on the singularly isolated character of Castle Hill-it is surrounded on three sides by deep valleys, and on the fourth side by a low neck of land connecting it with Almondbury, which makes it a most conspicuous object. I do not know which is the better the view of the surrounding country from Castle Hill, or the view of the hill itself from the numberless points whence it can be seen, suffice it to say that a view extending from Skelmanthorpe on one side to the Lancashire Hills on the other, from the heights beyond Bradford on the north, to the Derbyshire Hills on the south-a view so extensive is no common one, and the elevation might fitly be emphasised by erecting upon it a suitable tower, which would challenge observation from an area of 300 square miles, and this I would call the "Victoria Tower."

When the children of Israel crossed the Jordan they were told to raise a cairn of stones, so that when their descendants inquired what those stones meant, they were to be told that they were a memorial of a great day for Israel. So let it be with us, and when those who come after us shall ask why the tower was built, those who are then living will be able to dwell with loyal affection on the 60 years of the Queen's reign.

They will speak of the young girl Queen who lived to be the oldest sovereign in the world, during whose reign Huddersfield grew from little more than a large village to be a large town of a hundred thousand busy workers; they will tell of the introduction of the penny post; of the growth of railways, of the Indian Mutiny, of the electric telegraph, of photography; of a thousand inventions and schemes calculated to make men happier. Surely this will be a text to make any man eloquent.

In 1887 £13,000 was raised to celebrate the 50th year of the Queen's reign; we know the objects to which this large sum was devoted, but who will remember in 20 or 30 years, and people then will wonder why nothing was done to mark so eventful a year.

February 4, 1897.

I am, yours &c.,

G. W. TOMLINSON.

Chief among his literary tastes was a keen pursuit of the knowledge of antiquities, and especially all relating to the archæology and topography of Yorkshire.

As he loved the home and town where first he saw the light, so he loved his native county enthusiastically. He had wandered far and wide amidst its hills and lovely dales, its castles and abbeys, its moated halls and parks. Few indeed were the localities his feet had not trodden, taking a

special interest in genealogy and heraldry, and one never appealed to him for help in either of these branches in vain.

His connection with our Society dates from 1869, when he first joined as a member. In 1870 he was elected on the Council. In 1875 he became Financial Secretary, acting in conjunction with the late Mr. Fairless Barber, F.S.A. In March 1878, Mr. Tomlinson was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. After Mr. Barber's death, Mr. Tomlinson became sole Secretary, and so remained from 1881, excepting a very short period, until 1887, when Mr. S. J. Chadwick undertook the Record Series, and in 1888 they were joined by Mr. J. W. Walker, who now became Financial Secretary, Mr. Tomlinson continuing the Editorship of the Journal until his resignation in January, 1896. Although we lost his valuable services as Secretary, he was at once placed on the Council, and a handsome testimonial was most spontaneously subscribed for and presented to him by both members and friends. And so he belonged to us up to the last day of his life.

The Society was an especial care of his, a great friend to him, and he to it. He had witnessed its steady progress, had helped to overcome the early struggles, saw its name changed from the "Huddersfield Archæological and Topographical Association," to the more extensive and comprehensive title of "Yorkshire," and took part in its progress until the Society was incorporated in 1893, and a new and permanent home was found for it at Leeds in 1896. He designed the Official Seal, and one of his last acts of kindness was to arrange the library on its transfer from Huddersfield to Leeds.

Of published papers he had not many-the only one appearing in the Journal with his name attached is "On Monuments at Normanton, with Genealogical Notes," in Vol. V. However he helped others with numerous fcotnotes, and when Programmes for the Excursions, Prospectuses, Catalogues, and various notices are considered, the amount of secretarial work he got through was very heavy and arduous. Then he took a large part in editing "Paver's Marriage Licences," Glynne's "Churches of Yorkshire,"

&c., &c.

For many years he had been engaged on a History of Huddersfield, but I believe it is not completed. He was

also working up a pedigree of his own family, and likewise that of the Rooses of Ingmanthorpe, which last he intended for the Journal.

It will be difficult for those who knew him to realise a Council Meeting or an Excursion without his kindly face, his cheerful smile, and his pleasant manner to all, for his greatest friends were those who shared with him, and enjoyed his antiquarian tastes.

Much we saw of each other, and the world seems less bright now that another friend has gone.

"He has passed away, and lies in peace

In the sweet peace that goodness bosoms ever—
Leaving a memory sweet as June roses,
And likely to endure until every friend
He had has likewise passed away."

ALEX. D. H. LEADMAN, F.S.A.

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