Claremont Enquirer

Dr. Tomlinson was born in January 1887 north of Claremont in a small country town called Marsh H.ill in Uxbridge. His family later moved to Ashburn to farm 200 acres of land. He moved to Claremont where he lived for many years and where he had his medical practice. He passed away on August 18, 1982.

Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson's roots go back to the Ward family, who settled in Claremont in the early 1840s. He was born and raised in Reach Township, but came to the Brougham-Claremont area in 1905, when he taught school at the Brougham School. He was principal of the Brougham Continuation School by 1909. During those early years, Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson was active in a variety of community activities.

• He played on the Claremont Football Club in 1909 when it became Intermediate South Ontario Champions.

• He was a member of the local Methodist Church Choir while teaching in Brougham, and was also a member of the Pickering Centennial Committee, in 1911.

• He left Pickering to attend medical school at the University of Toronto, from 1914 to1918.

• In 1919, a serious outbreak of influenza with no doctor in residence in Claremont, pulled Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson away from a practice in Gravenhurst. He never left.

• From the time he and his wife returned to Claremont, Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson was deeply engaged in the community and civic affairs.

• When the Claremont Memorial Park opened in 1925, Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson was honorary president of the Claremont Football Team, when the team staged a game as part of the opening celebrations. He was listed as a member of the team in 1927. He was involved in the tennis club in Claremont, and he and his wife helped found the first Badminton Club in Claremont in the late 1920s.

• Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson was a Master of the Masons, Claremont Branch (1928) and later received a 50 Year Medal as a Worshipful Brother of the Order of Masons. And he was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Methodist Church in Claremont (1933).

• From 1935 to 1955 he was the Medical Officer of Health; Tomlinson's name can be found on the bottom of health bulletins and notices frequently published in the local newspapers and posted around the communities.

• In 1951, Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson was appointed Chairman of the Board of Management of the Claremont Community Memorial Athletic Field and Park and the Claremont Community Hall (By-Law No. 1866, signed May 1, 1951 ). He was appointed to the same position again in 1952.

• In 1959, Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson was asked to give the opening address at the Centennial of the Brougham School.

• He was guest speaker at the opening of the new Brougham Library on June 7, 1963.

• Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson has also assisted to' raise funds for the renovation of the Claremont Library in the late 1960s.  

• In honour of active service in the community, "Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson Day" was proclaimed for January 8, 1966. A committee was formed to plan the day, and many friends and colleagues of Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson were contacted, most of whom donated money for a fund which was later given over to the Ajax and Pickering General Hospital to furnish a room, in the doctor's name.

• As further testament to the respect and admiration of Dr. Tomlinson within the community, he was featured as the "Symbol of the Century" on the cover of the News Advertiser on Thursday, June 29, 1967, in commemoration of Canada's 100th birthday, and he lead Claremont's Centennial Parade.

• Throughout his life in Claremont, he could always be depended upon the support of recreational actvities and was often seen shuttling local youth to and from sports games.

• Dr. Tomlinson was a well-respected citizen and country doctor in Claremont who devoted his time and contributed in many ways to the improvement of this small country village.

                         Dr. Tomlinson was involved in many organizations & worked

                             diligently to improve the town of Claremont including:

1. The Claremont Wesleyan Methodist Church (1989) and Claremont Presbyterian Churches joined together to form the Claremont United Church. The Presbyterian Church was sold but the manse was retained for the minister and the Methodist Church became the Claremont United Church.Dr. Tomlinson and family were members for many years. He was involved in the Board of Stewards, the choir, Secretary Treasurer of the Board of Trustees, Secretary of the Official Board and an elder.

2. Library Board - Chairman & Secretary of the Library Board and through grants, was instrumental in changing the library from an associate library to a public library in the Town of Pickering.

3. Masonic Lodge - Dr. Tomlinson held many positions in the masonic lodge and remained a life-long member. He was Master of the Lodge in 1928.

4. The Claremont Business Men's Association - As a member since 1910, he also helped in major community decisions.

5. Claremont Continuation School - He was a teacher and taught in the school from 1911 for seven years until he raised enough money to attend the University of Toronto Medical School. During World War I he was sent to work at a Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Gravenhurst. In 1919 he got the call that Claremont needed a doctor as Dr. Caldwell, the local doctor at the time, was enlisted for service in World War I. Dr. Tomlinson also held the position of Medical Officer of Health from 1935 to 1955.

6. School Board - He was elected to the School Board and was involved in building the present school in Claremont in 1923. (A debenture for $40,000 was taken out to cover the cost of building material, an 80' well, sidewalks, fences, etc.).

7. Bowling Green - He was very active in the lawn bowling organization and the small bowling park south of the four corners which was named after him. The sign was removed when the City Pickering sold the property and the tribute to him has disappeared from this town.

8. Park Board - He was an avid sports enthusiast and President of the Park Board for many years. Because football was being played in a farmer's field south of town, four acres was purchased where the present park is today. He was instrumental in having the brick gate posts built and bronze memorial plaques placed there with the names of all the local men and women who served in World War I and World War II.

9. Claremont Community Centre - His efforts to have the vacated Presbyterian Church turned into a community centre resulted in many years of community groups enjoying the hall until the new community centre was built.

10. Dr. Tomlinson was a valued asset to this community and in early years would travel miles by foot, snowshoe, horse and buggy and later, in a Model T Ford to visit patients in north Pickering. His area was extended to concessions south of Claremont, north a few miles into Uxbridge over the Town line, east to Ashburn and west to the Markham/Pickering Town line. Many people attended his retirement. He practiced medicine for 56 years until age 90. He received thanks from hundreds of friends at his 90th birthday. Many lives were saved by this gentle man. He helped the injured and was there at the birth of many babies born in the area. He was also in charge of those with scarlet fever who were quarantined and he stayed isolated in the Masonic Hall until they were well. 

11 . The work and effort he put into Claremont was amazing and the proposal to have the community centre named after him would be a wonderful way to memorialize his memory.