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Liverpool Mercury (2nd Edition)
Friday, 28th February, 1851

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We learn with regret that Sir John Tobin, Knight, died at his residence, last night, at Liscard Hall. The deceased was upwards of eighty years of age.


Liverpool Mercury
Monday, 4th March, 1851

Death of Sir John Tobin

As we announced in our second edition of Friday, Sir John Tobin died at his residence, in Liscard, on Thursday night, in the eighty-

ninth year of his age. For many years Sir John had been connected with the mercantile interests of Liverpool, and stood very high inthe commercial world, as an enterprising merchant and an honourable man. The Isle of Man was Sir John’s native place, and in his earlier years he went to sea. During the wars of Napoleon he commanded on his own account a privateer. He was one of the first to enter upon the African palm oil trade – a traffic which he superseded the slave trade. He next turned his attention to steam navigation, at a time when it was gradually rising into importance, and built and equipped at his own expense the largest steamer which had ever been launched into the Mersey. This fine vessel, which was called the Liverpool, made several trips to New York, and was then sold to the Oriental Steam Navigation Company.  Sir John Tobin was one of the first to appreciate the capabilities of the Cheshire shore as a place of dock accommodation, and took an active part, along with Mr. Laird, in the purchase of the Wallasey estate. He was Mayor of the town in 1820, when George the Fourth ascended the throne, and received the honour of Knighthood. The widow of Sir John survives him. He leaves four children – the Rev. John Tobin, the incumbent of Egremont, Mrs. Cockshott, Mrs. Col.Reddie, and Mrs. Harold Littledale.

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