Robert Parkinson Tomlinson

Robert Parkinson Tomlinson (20 May 1881 – 3 June 1943) was a British corn merchant and Liberal politician.

Family and education Tomlinson was born at Poulton-le-Fylde in Lancashire, the son of William and Agnes Ormond Tomlinson. He was educated at Poulton-le-Fylde Grammar School and Claremont College, Blackpool. He never married. In religion Tomlinson was a Methodist. He was sometime President of the Methodist Local Preachers Mutual Aid Association

Career Tomlinson set himself up in business and founded Parkinson and Tomlinson, corn and oatmeal millers and seed merchants in The Fylde district.

1928 Lancaster by-election He was next a candidate at a by-election at Lancaster on 9 February 1928 caused by elevation to peerage of Sir Gerald Strickland Tomlinson won by a majority of 1,829 over his Tory opponent Herwald Ramsbotham with Labour in third place. Turnout was 82% And Tomlinson overturned a Conservative majority from the previous election of 4,158.

1929–1935 Tomlinson was unable to hold the seat at the 1929 general election however, with Ramsbotham gaining it for the Conservatives, albeit by the small margin of 437 votes. Tomlinson did not contest the 1931 general election but did try again in 1935, this time finding himself again in second place although this time behind by 13,578.

Death Tomlinson died at Cliffdale, Thurnham, in Lancashire on 3 June 1943, aged 62 years.