John Tilley (KCB)
Encyclopedia
Sir
John Tilley KCB
(20 January 1813 — 18 March 1898) was Secretary to the General Post Office
of the United Kingdom.
, who had died before he was born. His mother was Elizabeth Fraser, daughter of Thomas Fraser of Lane Son & Fraser (sometimes spelt 'Frazer').
He was educated privately at Bromley, Kent.
on 11 February 1829 as a clerk in the Secretary's Office in Lombard Street, London
, having been nominated by a friend of his mother, the then Secretary, Francis Freeling
, and appointed to the Secretary's office by the Postmaster General, the Duke of Manchester
.
He remained with the Post Office throughout his working life, rising from clerk to Secretary, the position he held on his retirement at the age of sixty-seven in 1880.
In 1838, at the relatively young age of 27, and after only ten years with the Post Office, Tilley was appointed Surveyor of the Northern District of England on the nomination of the then Secretary of the Post Office, Colonel Maberly, while the Appointment Books show that he was formally appointed on 25 October 1838 by the Postmaster General, the Earl of Lichfield
.
Tilley spent ten years as Surveyor of the Northern District of England, moving to Lytham (now known as Lytham St. Annes), Lancashire where he organised the distribution of mail until on 29 September 1848 he was promoted to the position of Assistant Secretary of the Post Office. Tilley’s wife Cecilia was at that time suffering from consumption
, and brief mention is made of the sad family circumstances Tilley was experiencing at this time, which made him happy to return to London.
Despite this, Tilley was involved in the organisation of The Great Exhibition
held in Hyde Park
, London in 1851.
In 1854 a Commission of Enquiry into the establishment of the Post Office was set up which brought about a number of changes in the London establishment. The Postmaster General of the day, Lord Canning
, sent Tilley to Edinburgh
and Dublin to revise the establishments there. Tilley is credited with having ensured that the clerks, sorters and postmen received better pay.
Tilley had been a great supporter of the Savings Bank Act (1861). This enabled the Post Office to offer savings accounts to less wealthy citizens with more security than banks could offer, resulting in the present-day National Savings and Investments
.
In 1864, when Sir Rowland Hill
vacated the position of Secretary of the Post Office, Tilley was appointed to succeed him. However, this appears to be contradicted by the existence of a letter dated 8th August 1860 which suggests that Tilley had been appointed Secretary earlier.
Throughout Tilley's time at the Post Office, his close friendship with his brother-in-law, Anthony Trollope
, continued. In 1888, Trollope described Tilley as one of his "oldest and dearest friends".
On 16th April 1880, at the age of 67, Tilley retired from the Post Office. He was described by a colleague, Edmund Yates, in his Recollections and Experiences as a "shrewd, caustic and clever man, bred in the Post Office service and knowing it thoroughly; by no means a crocheteer, but with his publice office experience, tempered by plenty of worldly knowledge, and as unimpressionable as an oyster" Further description of his “remarkable” personality is given by one of Tilley's oldest official friends, but unidentified by name, who described him as "a hard man in official relations, yet genial. He was truthful, courageous and unaffected, generally a sound judge of character, and always ready to admit and correct a mistake. He was clear sighted, just and absolutely fearless, with a strong sense of duty; always wanting to do right."
, of which he became vice-chairman and later chairman. He also chaired the Relief Committee, engaged in the distribution of outdoor relief to the deserving poor, and the Fulham Road Workhouse Committee, responsible for the care and conduct of one of the largest workhouses in the country.
He was a Manager and member of the finance committee of the Metropolitan Asylums Board
, a Manager of the West London Schools, and in 1891 Chairman of the Eastern Hospital, during an Inquiry into maladministration at the hospital.
He was also Treasurer of the Metropolitan Convalescent Institution, in which he took a special interest, and was also a Justice of the Peace
for London and Middlesex
.
In January 1889, Tilley was nominated to the first London County Council
.
For many years, he was one of the churchwarden
s of St Saviour, Pimlico
, in St George's Square
, while the Rev. Henry Washington was vicar. There, on 18 December 1898, a window was dedicated in his memory.
of St Mary's Church, Bryanstone Square She was the daughter of Thomas Anthony Trollope and of Frances Trollope
and the sister of Anthony Trollope
.
They had five children, of whom only one survived to adulthood.
John and Cecilia Tilley lived for a number of years at Carlton Hill, Penrith,, having purchased the property from Cecilia’s mother. When they returned to London in 1848, they lived at Allen Place where Cecilia Tilley died on 4 April 1849.
On 18 May 1850, Tilley married secondly, at Kensington
, Mary Anne Partington, the daughter of Thomas Partington and of Penelope Ann Trollope, so a first cousin of Cecilia Frances Trollope. They had one child, Arthur Augustus Tilley
(1851–1942), a Classical scholar who became a lecturer in Roman History at King’s College, Cambridge, and a historian.
Mary Anne Tilley died 3 weeks after the birth of their son in 1851, and on 7 February 1861 Tilley married thirdly Susannah Anderson Montgomerie, the daughter of William Eglinton Montgomerie of Annick Lodge and Greenville
, Ayrshire, by his marriage to Susanna Fraser Anderson, and a grand-daughter of Alexander Montgomerie
. in Kilmarnock
, Ayrshire. They had three children:
Dame
Susannah Anderson Tilley died on 4 March 1880.
, near Earl's Court in South West London, with his third wife, Susannah.
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
John Tilley KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(20 January 1813 — 18 March 1898) was Secretary to the General Post Office
General Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
of the United Kingdom.
Early life and family
Tilley was the posthumous youngest son of John Tilley, a merchant of PeckhamPeckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
, who had died before he was born. His mother was Elizabeth Fraser, daughter of Thomas Fraser of Lane Son & Fraser (sometimes spelt 'Frazer').
He was educated privately at Bromley, Kent.
Career
Tilley entered the service of the General Post OfficeGeneral Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
on 11 February 1829 as a clerk in the Secretary's Office in Lombard Street, London
Lombard Street, London
Lombard Street is a street in the City of London.It runs from the corner of the Bank of England at its north-west end, where it meets a major junction including Poultry, King William Street, and Threadneedle Street, south-east to Gracechurch Street....
, having been nominated by a friend of his mother, the then Secretary, Francis Freeling
Francis Freeling
Sir Francis Freeling, 1st Baronet FSA , was Secretary of HM General Post Office .He was born in Bristol, on 25 August 1764.-Career:...
, and appointed to the Secretary's office by the Postmaster General, the Duke of Manchester
William Montagu, 5th Duke of Manchester
Colonel William Montagu, 5th Duke of Manchester , styled Viscount Mandeville until 1783, was a British peer, soldier, colonial administrator and politician.-Background and education:...
.
He remained with the Post Office throughout his working life, rising from clerk to Secretary, the position he held on his retirement at the age of sixty-seven in 1880.
In 1838, at the relatively young age of 27, and after only ten years with the Post Office, Tilley was appointed Surveyor of the Northern District of England on the nomination of the then Secretary of the Post Office, Colonel Maberly, while the Appointment Books show that he was formally appointed on 25 October 1838 by the Postmaster General, the Earl of Lichfield
Thomas Anson, 1st Earl of Lichfield
Thomas William Anson, 1st Earl of Lichfield PC , known as The Viscount Anson from 1818 to 1831, was a British Whig politician. He served under Lord Grey and Lord Melbourne as Master of the Buckhounds between 1830 and 1834 and under Melbourne Postmaster General between 1835 and 1841...
.
Tilley spent ten years as Surveyor of the Northern District of England, moving to Lytham (now known as Lytham St. Annes), Lancashire where he organised the distribution of mail until on 29 September 1848 he was promoted to the position of Assistant Secretary of the Post Office. Tilley’s wife Cecilia was at that time suffering from consumption
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, and brief mention is made of the sad family circumstances Tilley was experiencing at this time, which made him happy to return to London.
Despite this, Tilley was involved in the organisation of The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations or The Great Exhibition, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October...
held in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
, London in 1851.
In 1854 a Commission of Enquiry into the establishment of the Post Office was set up which brought about a number of changes in the London establishment. The Postmaster General of the day, Lord Canning
Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning
Charles John Canning, 1st Earl Canning KG, GCB, PC , known as The Viscount Canning from 1837 to 1859, was an English statesman and Governor-General of India during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.-Background and education:...
, sent Tilley to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Dublin to revise the establishments there. Tilley is credited with having ensured that the clerks, sorters and postmen received better pay.
Tilley had been a great supporter of the Savings Bank Act (1861). This enabled the Post Office to offer savings accounts to less wealthy citizens with more security than banks could offer, resulting in the present-day National Savings and Investments
National Savings and Investments
National Savings and Investments , formerly called the Post Office Savings Bank and National Savings, is a state-owned savings bank in the United Kingdom. It is an executive agency of the Chancellor of the Exchequer...
.
In 1864, when Sir Rowland Hill
Rowland Hill (postal reformer)
Sir Rowland Hill KCB, FRS was an English teacher, inventor and social reformer. He campaigned for a comprehensive reform of the postal system, based on the concept of penny postage and his solution of prepayment, facilitating the safe, speedy and cheap transfer of letters...
vacated the position of Secretary of the Post Office, Tilley was appointed to succeed him. However, this appears to be contradicted by the existence of a letter dated 8th August 1860 which suggests that Tilley had been appointed Secretary earlier.
Throughout Tilley's time at the Post Office, his close friendship with his brother-in-law, Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...
, continued. In 1888, Trollope described Tilley as one of his "oldest and dearest friends".
On 16th April 1880, at the age of 67, Tilley retired from the Post Office. He was described by a colleague, Edmund Yates, in his Recollections and Experiences as a "shrewd, caustic and clever man, bred in the Post Office service and knowing it thoroughly; by no means a crocheteer, but with his publice office experience, tempered by plenty of worldly knowledge, and as unimpressionable as an oyster" Further description of his “remarkable” personality is given by one of Tilley's oldest official friends, but unidentified by name, who described him as "a hard man in official relations, yet genial. He was truthful, courageous and unaffected, generally a sound judge of character, and always ready to admit and correct a mistake. He was clear sighted, just and absolutely fearless, with a strong sense of duty; always wanting to do right."
Charitable and public work
Having retired from the Post Office, Tilley did not retire from public life. For fifteen years he was a member of the Board of Guardians of St George's, Hanover SquareHanover Square, London
Hanover Square, London, is a square in Mayfair, London W1, England, situated to the south west of Oxford Circus, the major junction where Oxford Street meets Regent Street....
, of which he became vice-chairman and later chairman. He also chaired the Relief Committee, engaged in the distribution of outdoor relief to the deserving poor, and the Fulham Road Workhouse Committee, responsible for the care and conduct of one of the largest workhouses in the country.
He was a Manager and member of the finance committee of the Metropolitan Asylums Board
Metropolitan Asylums Board
The Metropolitan Asylums Board was established under Poor Law legislation, to deal with London's sick poor. It was established by the Metropolitan Poor Act 1867 and was wound up in 1930, its functions being transferred to the London County Council. Despite its name, the MAB was not involved in...
, a Manager of the West London Schools, and in 1891 Chairman of the Eastern Hospital, during an Inquiry into maladministration at the hospital.
He was also Treasurer of the Metropolitan Convalescent Institution, in which he took a special interest, and was also a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for London and Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
.
In January 1889, Tilley was nominated to the first London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
.
For many years, he was one of the churchwarden
Churchwarden
A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
s of St Saviour, Pimlico
St Saviour, Pimlico
Saint Saviour is an Anglo-Catholic church in Pimlico, located at the north end of St George's Square. It was constructed in the 1860s as part of Thomas Cubitt's development of the area on behalf of the Marquess of Westminster. The church was designed by Thomas Cundy, who had previously built St...
, in St George's Square
St George's Square
St George's Square is a long narrow garden square in Pimlico, London, SW1. Pimlico's development was started in 1835 by the landowner, the Marquess of Westminster, and the building was supervised by Thomas Cubitt who also designed the gardens...
, while the Rev. Henry Washington was vicar. There, on 18 December 1898, a window was dedicated in his memory.
Marriages and children
On 4 February 1839 Tilley married Cecilia Frances Trollope at St Mary’s, Bryanston Square. Marriage record in parish registerParish register
A parish register is a handwritten volume, normally kept in a parish church or deposited within a county record office or alternative archive repository, in which details of baptisms, marriages and burials are recorded.-History:...
of St Mary's Church, Bryanstone Square She was the daughter of Thomas Anthony Trollope and of Frances Trollope
Frances Trollope
Frances Milton Trollope was an English novelist and writer who published as Mrs. Trollope or Mrs. Frances Trollope...
and the sister of Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...
.
They had five children, of whom only one survived to adulthood.
- Frances Trollope Tilley (1839–1851)
- Cecilia Isabel Tilley (1840–1850)
- Ann Jane Tilley (1842–1850)
- Arthur William Tilley (1845–1850)
- Edith Diane Mary Tilley (1846–1925)
John and Cecilia Tilley lived for a number of years at Carlton Hill, Penrith,, having purchased the property from Cecilia’s mother. When they returned to London in 1848, they lived at Allen Place where Cecilia Tilley died on 4 April 1849.
On 18 May 1850, Tilley married secondly, at Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, Mary Anne Partington, the daughter of Thomas Partington and of Penelope Ann Trollope, so a first cousin of Cecilia Frances Trollope. They had one child, Arthur Augustus Tilley
Arthur Augustus Tilley
Arthur Augustus Tilley was an academic of the University of Cambridge. An Old Etonian, his first subject at Cambridge was Classics, after which he began a career as a barrister...
(1851–1942), a Classical scholar who became a lecturer in Roman History at King’s College, Cambridge, and a historian.
Mary Anne Tilley died 3 weeks after the birth of their son in 1851, and on 7 February 1861 Tilley married thirdly Susannah Anderson Montgomerie, the daughter of William Eglinton Montgomerie of Annick Lodge and Greenville
Annick Lodge and Greenville
Annick Lodge is an estate between Perceton and Cunninghamhead in North Ayrshire, Scotland.- History :Annick Lodge and estate was built by Captain Alexander Montgomery, the brother German of Hugh, Earl of Eglinton...
, Ayrshire, by his marriage to Susanna Fraser Anderson, and a grand-daughter of Alexander Montgomerie
Alexander Montgomerie
Alexander Montgomerie , Scottish Jacobean courtier and poet, or makar, born in Ayrshire. He was one of the principal members of the Castalian Band, a circle of poets in the court of James VI in the 1580s which included the king himself. Montgomerie was for a time in favour as one of the king's...
. in Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
, Ayrshire. They had three children:
- Cecilia Montgomerie Tilley (1862–1868)
- William George Tilley (1863 – 28 June 1887)
- John Anthony Cecil Tilley (1869–1952), who joined the Foreign Office and became British Ambassador to Brazil and later Japan.
Dame
Dame (title)
The title of Dame is the female equivalent of the honour of knighthood in the British honours system . It is also the equivalent form address to 'Sir' for a knight...
Susannah Anderson Tilley died on 4 March 1880.
Death
After a long illness, Tilley died on 18 March 1898 at his home, 73 St George's Square, London, where he had lived since 1856. He is buried in Brompton CemeteryBrompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl's Court in South West London, England . It is managed by The Royal Parks and is one of the Magnificent Seven...
, near Earl's Court in South West London, with his third wife, Susannah.
Honours
- 1871: Companion of the Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
- 1880: Knight Commander of the Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...