Portsmouth Evening News Wednesday 10 August 1927

THE TOFIELD FAMILY.
Tracing Descendants who Lived at Portsmouth.

Being engaged in endeavour to prepare some account of the life and work Thomas Tofield (1730-1779), a bygone botanist, Mr. A. A. Dallman, President of the Doncaster Scientific Society, of 17, Mount Road, Higher Tranmere, Birkenhead, is seeking information of the Tofield Family. The naturalist resided at Wilsick, near Tickhill, Yorkshire, and was interred at Tickhill Church. After his death the mansion and estate of Wilsick, which had been in the possession the Tofields for some generations, was sold. His wife and family seem have removed to Portsmouth, for his wife died here on June 13, 1824, and was buried in the church porch. The elder son, Thomas, also died at Portsmouth on February 16, 1840

Tofield, the botanist was ardent student of the British flora. He formed a herbarium, and it would of interest to know its present location, if still in existence. He contributed valuable information to William Hudson, and that eminent botanist reproduces Tofield’s records in his “Flora Anglica.” Hudson paid his correspondent the high compliment of dedicating a genus to him, and Tofieldia (represented by one rather rare British species) remains enduring and graceful testimony.

Mr. Dallman is anxious to learn more regarding the family, and also whether any portrait, manuscripts, or other relics of the naturalist may be in existence. It is thought that there may be descendants or others in Portsmouth who may be able to supply further information.

The Bioscope Thursday 20 October 1927

DONCASTER

In the course of his presidential address before the members of the Doncaster Scientific Society last Wednesday, A. A. DALLMAN said that most people were so absorbed in the cinema that they missed the most interesting things in life. But if the old stones they passed by every day could speak, they would tell stories vastly more interesting than any cinema could tell.

Evidently ” one man’s meat is another man’s poison,” but I think most people will agree that scientific progress owes just as much to the cinema as to Mr. Dallman’s musty old bricks !