Thomas Turner Wilkinson, Burnley teacher, and author 1815-1875

iBase ID

277830

Reference identifier

EBU20190219007

Title

Thomas Turner Wilkinson, Burnley teacher, and author 1815-1875

Place

Burnley

Personal names

Thomas Turner Wilkinson, Steven Child, Angelina Harrison

General notes

Born at Abbot House, Mellor, 17.3.1815, son of a prosperous farmer, and well educated although he did not have a university degree. In 1838 he became Assistant Master at Burnley Grammar School leaving after 2 years to teach elsewhere before returning for a second spell in 1842. After running his own private school for some years, he went back a third time to the Grammar School before retiring in 1871. He was an expert amateur local historian, naturalist, astronomer etc. who wrote and lectured extensively on matters literary and scientific. Amongst his many paper and works were a revised history of the parish church of St. Peter's and a history of Burnley Grammar School. He was heavily involved for more than thirty years with Burnley Mechanics' Institute, teaching many classes,. He was a founder member of Burnley Natural History Society, Vice President of the Burnley Literary and Scientific Club, a member of Manchester societies and an independent Alderman. His first wife died young, and in 1840 he married Angelina Harrison and together they ran a pawnshop. She died suddenly in April 1874 and he lived barely another year. He died 6.2.1875. A grand funeral procession accompanied the coffin to Holy Trinity Church, with shops and pubs closing and blinds being drawn down in respect. He was buried in the church yard. His papers were bequeathed to the Chetham Society.

Medium

Photographic print

Colour

Monochrome

Original image size

5 x 8

Year of image

1860?

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Locator

T51

Collection link