George Pretyman Tomline

In this name, thefamily nameisPretyman (before 1803),Pretyman Tomline (from 1803),but commonly calledTomlinethereafter.

The Right Reverend Sir George Pretyman Tomline BtFRS
Bishop of Winchester
Pretyman Tomline robed as Garter Prelate.
Diocese	Diocese of Winchester
In office	1820–1827
Predecessor	Brownlow North
Successor	Charles Sumner
Other post(s)	Private secretary to the Prime Minister (1783–1787) Dean of St Paul's(1787–1820) Bishop of Lincoln(1787–1820)
Orders
Ordination	1774 (deacon); 1776 (priest)
Consecration	c. 1787
Personal details
Born	George Pretyman (1750-10-09)9 October 1750 Bury St Edmunds,Suffolk,Great Britain
Died	14 November 1827(1827-11-14)(aged 77) Wimborne,Dorset,United Kingdom
Buried	Winchester Cathedral
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Residence	Kingston Hall, near Wimborne (at death)
Parents	George Pretyman and Susan Hubbard
Spouse	Elizabeth Maltby (m. 1784-1826; her death)
Children	3
Profession	theologian
Alma mater	Pembroke College, Cambridge

Sir George Pretyman Tomline, 5th BaronetFRS(bornGeorge Pretyman;9 October 1750 – 14 November 1827) was anEnglishclergyman,theologian,Bishop of Lincolnand thenBishop of Winchester,and confidant ofWilliam Pitt the Younger.He was an opponent ofCatholic emancipation.

Early life

He was born George Pretyman inBury St Edmunds,Suffolkto a family claiming to have been influential in the region as far back as the fourteenth century. His father, also George Pretyman (1722–1810) was alandownerandwoolmerchant.His mother, George's wife, was Susan,néeHubbard (1720/1721–1807).

Pretyman attendedBury St Edmunds Grammar Schooland thenPembroke College, Cambridge,graduatingin 1772 assenior wranglerandSmith's prizewinner.He was elected afellowof Pembroke in 1773. He wasordaineddeaconin 1774 andpriestin 1776:byPhilip Yonge,Bishop of Norwichat his Palace's chapel on 14 August 1774,and byJohn Hinchliffe,Bishop of PeterboroughatTrinity College, Cambridgeon 16 June 1776.

William Pitt the Youngerwas sent to Pembroke in 1773, at the age of fourteen, and Pretyman became his tutor and gradually his friend and confidant.When Pitt unsuccessfully stood for election asMember of ParliamentforCambridge Universityin the1780 British general election,Pretyman supported him.

Pitt becamePrime Minister of Great Britainin December 1783 when theFox-North Coalitionfell but it remained for him to win the1784 British general election.On his 1784 victory, Pitt made Pretyman his private secretary, though the title was thought inappropriate for a clergyman. Pretyman's mathematical ability was soon called upon in advising Pitt on thesinking fundand other technicalities offiscal policy.

On 3 September 1784, Pretyman married Elizabeth Maltby (died 13 June 1826), cousin ofEdward Maltby,the futureBishop of Chichesterand himself eighth wrangler, and appointed Edward hisdomestic chaplain.George and Elizabeth were well-matched and he constantly consulted her on church and political issues. On 17 March 1785 Tomline was elected aFellow of the Royal Society.

Bishop of Lincoln

In 1787, Pitt appointed PretymanBishop of Lincoln,having to overcome the opposition ofGeorge IIIwho objected to Pretyman's youth. Having already becomeDean of St Paul's(he was instituted to the Portpoole prebend by Robert Lowth, Bishop of London on 21 February 1787),hiselectionwasconfirmedbyJohn Moore,Archbishop of Canterbury,atSt Mary-le-Bowon 10 March 1787and he wasconsecrated a bishopby Moore (assisted byWilliam Ashburnham,Bishop of Chichester;Shute Barrington,Bishop of SalisburyandBeilby Porteus,Bishop of Chester) atLambeth Palacechapel on 11 March 1787.

Pretyman maintained on close terms with Pitt, though Lincoln duties kept him from frequent visits toLondon,and sharedWhigattitudes. In asermonto theHouse of Lordson 30 January 1789, Pretyman condemnedCharles I,executed byparliamentin 1649, and praised his political opponents.John Wesleywrote to Pretyman in 1790 accusing him of driving the 'people called Methodists' out of the established church.Pretyman continued to advise Pitt on finance and on Pitt'sEcclesiastical Plan.Pretyman was an opponent ofCatholic emancipationand was against Pitt's 1801 decision to resign when he failed to effect the changes promised to theIrishCatholics in the compromises made over the passage of theAct of Union 1800.

Henry Addington's regime was still less to Pretyman's taste and his anti-Catholic sentiments strengthened. However, he remained on good terms with Pitt and was ready to help him out of his debts.

Pitt's second ministry

Already wealthy, in 1803 he inherited extensive property from the unrelated, Marmaduke Tomline, and took the nameTomline.Pitt returned to government in 1804 and, much to Tomline's satisfaction, promoted Tomline asArchbishop of Canterbury,even though there was an earlier provisional agreement with the King thatCharles Manners-Suttonshould be appointed. However, the King was not to be manœuvred and exercised hisroyal prerogativeto appoint Manners-Sutton.

Tomline was offered the post ofBishop of Londonin 1813 but declined because he thought the duties too onerous. He was translated toBishop of Winchesterby the confirmation of his election (by Manners-Sutton) on 15 August 1820.

Family and death

Memorial inWinchester Cathedral

Tomline had inherited further property before he died ofapoplexyat Kingston Hall, nearWimborne,Dorsetand hisestatewas worth £200,000 (equivalent to £21,870,358 in 2023).He was buried inWinchester Cathedral.His monument was sculpted byRichard Westmacott (the younger).

Tomline and his wife had three sons but they relinquished their claim to the baronetcy:

• William Edward Tomline(1787–1836),MP for, successively,Christchurch,Truro,andMinehead.
• George-Thomas Tomline, becameChancellorofLincolnandprebendaryofWinchester.
• Richard Tomline, his third son, becameprecentorof Lincoln.

Works

Tomline published the following works:

• Elements of Christian Theology(1799), 2 vols., with the 12th and last edition printed in 1826. It was designed for candidates for ordination.Henry Stebbingpublished a revision, in 1843.
• A Refutation of Calvinism(1803), the 8th and final edition printed in 1823. This was a controversial work, causing a debate that involvedThomas Scott,Edward Williams,John Chetwode Eustace,and some anonymous writers.
• Memoir of the Life of the Right Honorable William Pitt,2 vols. (John Murray, Albemarle-Street, London, 1821). It goes no further than 1793.

Personality

He was an able administrator to hisdiocese,conducting elevenvisitationsduring his thirty three years tenure.

Though to the inferior clergy there was unquestionably something over-awing in his presence, arising from their conscientiousness of his superior attainments, yet it was impossible not to admire the courtliness of his manners and the benevolence of his sentiments

— The Gentleman's Magazine,1st ser., 98/1 (1828), 204)

Though he appeared somewhat aloof in public, Tomline was a devoted family man and genial enough given the right company. From 1806, he was conservative as to his attitudes to church and state but was well respected by someone of as different an outlook asSamuel Parr.

Offices and honours

• SinecurerectoryofCorwen,Merioneth,(1782);
• CanonofWestminster,(1784);
• Doctor of Divinity,University of Cambridge, (1784);
• Rector ofSudbourn-cum-Offord,(1785);
• Fellow of the Royal Society,(1785);
• Dean of St Paul's,(1787–1820);
• Charles I had originally conferred aNova Scotia baronetcyonJohn Pretymanbut it had been dormant since 1749. In February 1823, Tomline's claim to the baronetcy was confirmed and he becameSir George Pretyman Tomline, 5th Baronet.

Styles and titles

• 1750–1774: George Pretyman Esq.
• 1774–1784:The ReverendGeorge Pretyman
• 1784–1787:The ReverendCanon Dr George Pretyman
• 1787–1787:The Very ReverendDr George Pretyman
• 1787–1803:The Right ReverendDr George Pretyman
• 1803–1823:The Right ReverendDr George Pretyman Tomline
• 1823–1827:The Right ReverendDr Sir George Pretyman Tomline, Baronet

Sources

• Obituary:
  • The Gentleman's Magazine,1st ser., 98/1 (1828), 201–4

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