Edgar was born in 1878, his parents John Hewitt Tomlin originally from Lincoln and Mary
Barker Ellis had married in 1874 in Bramley in Leeds. John was a Teacher in Elementary
School, although by 1891 he and Mary were Boot Manufacturers. The couple had four children born while they were living in Bramley, Ellis born in 1878, Edgar born 1879, John born 1888 and Frances born in 1890, three more children were born but did not survive.
The 1901 Census shows that the family were living in Leicester at 62 Highfield Street, John was now working as a Leather Merchant, Ellis wasn’t living with the family any more, Edgar who was now 22 was working as a Leather Salesman, the family also had a Domestic Servant, Eliza Marriott living with them.
At the age of 29 Edgar married Beatrice Maud Lawrence who was living at 29 Knighton Fields Road, on Christmas Eve 1906, at St John the Baptist Church. Their son who they named Bernard Lawrence was born in 1907 and was baptised in the church the couple had married in. By the 1911 Census they were living at 180 Kimberley Road and Edgar was a Leather Commercial Traveller.
He died of Enteric Fever on 23/9/1916 in Egypt at the age of 38. He is buried at Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery and his inscription reads ‘In Proud & Loving Memory From Mother, Wife & Son RIP’. The Cemetery was started in April 1916 when it was realised that the cemetery at Chatby would not be big enough.
After his death, his widow Beatrice was awarded a pension for her and her son of 17/6 a week from the 2/4/1917, she was now living at the Manchester Hotel in Knighton. Her brother Albert Lawrence was the Hotel Manager having taken over from their father George.
As well as Beatrice, Laila Cross was also awarded a pension after Edgar’s death, she got a Pension of 6/8 a week from 1/5/1918 to 14/10/1925. Living at 82 Dorothy Road her relationship was recorded as Guardian of Illegitimate Child. The 1911 Census shows that she was a Lady’s Help visiting no 13 Kimberley Road when Edgar was living at no 180 Kimberley Road.
In 1939 his widow Beatrice was living at the Black Horse in Narrow Lane in Aylestone, she never remarried and died in 1956.
