Thomas Robins Bolitho (13 September 1840 – 28 September 1925) was a Cornish banker and landowner who served as

High Sheriff of Cornwall Sheriffs and high sheriffs of Cornwall: a chronological list: The right to choose high sheriffs each year is vested in the Duchy of Cornwall. The Privy Council of the United Kingdom, Privy Council, chaired by the sovereign, chooses the sheriff ...

in 1890.

Early life and education

Bolitho was born on 13 September 1840 in

Penzance Penzance ( ; ) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is the westernmost major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated in the ...

, the son of Thomas Simon Bolitho (1808–1877) and Elizabeth Robins. The Bolithos were an old Cornish family from

Madron Madron ( (village) or (parish)) is a civil parishes in England, civil parish and village in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Madron is named after Saint Madern's Church. Its annual Trafalgar Service commemorating the death of Horatio ...

that found its fortune in trading and banking. By 1885, they were known as the "merchant princes" of Cornwall. He was educated at

Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (school founder), John Lyon, a local landowner an ...

and at

Corpus Christi College, Oxford Corpus Christi College (formally, Corpus Christi College in the University of Oxford; informally abbreviated as Corpus or CCC) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1517 by Richard Fo ...

Career

He joined his family's banking company, Robins, Foster, Coode and Bolitho Co., in 1880, and was a director from 1887; when that company was taken over by

Barclays Bank Barclays PLC (, occasionally ) is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services ...

in 1905, he became a director of the latter. He was married to Augusta Jane Wilson on 30 June 1870, in

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

. In 1877, he inherited Trengwainton, a

country house image:Blenheim - Blenheim Palace - 20210417125239.jpg, 300px, Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a Townhou ...

near

, from his father. He served as the

in 1890. Bolitho retired from Barclays in 1918 and died on 28 September 1925, without issue. He left Trengwainton to his nephew,

Edward Hoblyn Warren Bolitho Sir Edward Hoblyn Warren Bolitho (20 April 1882 – 18 December 1969) was a Cornish landowner and politician. He was Chairman of Cornwall County Council from 1941 to 1952 and Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall from 1936 to 1962, for some years servi ...

. His cousin, Thomas Bedford Bolitho (1835–1915), a

Liberal Unionist The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington (later the Duke of Devonshire) and Joseph Chamberlain, the party established a political ...

, was MP for St. Ives from 1887 to 1900.

Legacy

The Thomas Simon Bolitho Institute was established in Landithy some time between 1909 and 1920. The

Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a History of rail transport in Great Britain, British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, ...

's 'Saint' class locomotive number 173 (later 2973), was named ''Robins Bolitho'' upon its creation in March 1905, in his honour. An etching of a painting of Bolitho on his horse by

Alfred Munnings Sir Alfred James Munnings, (8 October 1878 – 17 July 1959) is known as having been one of England's finest painters of horses, and as an outspoken critic of Modernism. Engaged by Lord Beaverbrook's Canadian War Memorials Fund after the Gre ...

, titled ''Thomas Robins Bolitho On Barum. Master of The Western Fox Hounds Since 1864,'' it has been in the collection of Penlee House. A study for the work, comprising three portrait sketches of Bolitho, also survives. A "Robins Bolitho Challenge Shield" was presented to the GWR's Truro Ambulance Team in 1921, and, by "Mrs. Robins Bolitho", to their Penzance (No. 1) team in 1927.

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