{{Short description|Scots-born New Zealand surveyor, sheep farmer and philanthropist (1821–1907)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = John Tinline | image = John Tinline (probably John Tinline 1821-1907), photographed by Henry E L Brusewitz, circa 1890, probably in Nelson.jpg | caption = Tinline in c. 1890 | birth_name = | birth_date = 1821 | birth_place = Jedburgh, Scotland | death_date = 26 February 1907 (aged 86) | death_place = Nelson, New Zealand | death_cause = | other_names = | known_for = | education = Jedburgh Grammar School | employer = | occupation = sheep farmer | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = | relatives = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''John Tinline''' (1821 – 26 February 1907) was a Scottish-born New Zealand sheep farmer, politician, and philanthropist. He emigrated briefly to Australia before moving on to New Zealand. He learned Māori and was made a magistrate. He was successful at sheep farming and owned huge farms. After he sold these he visited his home town and gave his Scottish hometown Jedburgh a new park.
==Life== thumb|left|Warwick House in 2016 thumb|upright|left|Plaque on the entrance to Allerley Well Park in Jedburgh Tinline was born in Jedburgh in 1821. His parents Esther ({{nee}} Easton) and John were poor.<ref name=adb /> He was taught at Jedburgh Grammar School. His elder brother, George Tinline, emigrated to Australia in 1838.<ref name=pp/>
On 3 September 1839 Tinline followed his brother and joined a ship, the ''Bengal Merchant'',<ref name="Scholefield 1940">{{cite book |page=386 | editor-last = Scholefield | editor-first = Guy | editor-link = Guy Scholefield | title = A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : M–Addenda | volume = II | year = 1940 | publisher = Department of Internal Affairs | location = Wellington | url = https://nzhistory.govt.nz/sites/default/files/documents/dnzb-1940/scholefield-dnzb-v2.pdf | access-date = 2 April 2020 }}</ref> bound for Sydney. He arrived in January of the following year. He was expecting to find his brother in Sydney but George had moved to Adelaide to become the Bank of South Australia's accountant at £400 a year.<ref name=oo>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25749271 |title=Death of Mr. G. Tinline | work=The Advertiser |location=Adelaide |date=6 February 1895 |access-date=31 August 2014 |page=7 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He soon found his brother and stayed with him whilst he took work doing some surveying. He decided to set sail again; this time for Wellington in New Zealand where he arrived in September 1840.<ref name=pp>{{Cite news |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19070226.2.15 |work=Nelson Evening Mail |via=PapersPast | volume=XLII |date=26 February 1907 |page=2 |title=Death of Mr John Tinline |access-date=2020-04-01}}</ref> Within weeks he had been introduced to others by his cousin, Robert Waitt, and he was a partner in a storekeeping business in Wellington. In 1842 he went to establish a new store for the company in Nelson but while he was away the company warehouse caught fire and he was penniless.<ref name=pp/> thumb|The park he donated in 2021 Tinline had employed an assistant who had taught him to speak Maori. In 1844 the governor, Robert FitzRoy, visited Nelson and appreciating Tinline's talents he made him a magistrate and an interpreter for the natives. He served in this role until 1852.<ref name=pp/>
Rai Valley was one of the last areas explored by Europeans in northern Marlborough. Tinline discovered it together with John Barnicoat while looking for a route to Nelson in January 1850.<ref>{{cite book | editor-last = Scholefield | editor-first = Guy | editor-link = Guy Scholefield | title = A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : A–L | volume = I | year = 1940 | publisher = Department of Internal Affairs | location = Wellington | url = https://nzhistory.govt.nz/sites/default/files/documents/dnzb-1940/scholefield-dnzb-v1.pdf |page=41}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Marlborough: A Provincial History |editor1-first=Alister |editor1-last=McIntosh |editor1-link=Alister McIntosh |editor2-first=William Edward |editor2-last=Redman |editor3-first=William Raymond |editor3-last=Allen |publisher=Marlborough Provincial Historical Committee |location=Blenheim |year=1940 |pages=116–117}}</ref> Tinline River's name commemorates his discovery of a route from Nelson to the Wairau.<ref name="Scholefield 1940">{{cite book |page=386 | editor-last = Scholefield | editor-first = Guy | editor-link = Guy Scholefield | title = A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : M–Addenda | volume = II | year = 1940 | publisher = Department of Internal Affairs | location = Wellington | url = https://nzhistory.govt.nz/sites/default/files/documents/dnzb-1940/scholefield-dnzb-v2.pdf | access-date = 2 April 2020 }}</ref> Tinline lived for some time in Mārahau and the nearby Tinline Bay, with Tinline Stream flowing into it, are named after him.<ref name="Place Names">{{cite book |last= Reed |first= A. W. |author-link=Clif Reed |others = Revised by Peter Dowling |title= Place Names of New Zealand |orig-year= 1975 |year= 2010 |publisher=Raupo |location= North Shore |isbn= 978-0-14-320410-7 |page=415}}</ref> Mount Tinline and Tinline Creek are located in the Canterbury's Amuri Range.<ref name="Place Names" />
Tinline was a member of the Nelson Provincial Council during the second council. From 9 October 1857 to 26 January 1858, he represented the Wairau electorate. From 14 June 1859 to 12 March 1860, he represented the Amuri electorate.<ref>{{cite book |authorlink = Guy Scholefield | last = Scholefield | first= Guy | title = New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 | edition = 3rd | orig-year=First published in 1913 | year = 1950 |publisher = Govt. Printer |location = Wellington | page =214}}</ref> He is referred to as John Tinline of Amuri in university notices regarding nationwide prizes set up in his name, for "the student who achieved the highest aggregate marks in Stage III English courses".<ref>{{cite web |title=John Tinline Prize in English |url=https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/scholarships-and-awards/find-a-scholarship/john-tinline-prize-in-english-p706-art.html |publisher=University of Auckland |access-date=11 March 2024}}</ref>
In 1891 he visited Jedburgh and whilst he was there he agreed to purchase a park for the town.<ref name=pp /> As of 2020, the park still exists. A sign at the entrance records both the opening in 1891 and Tinline's generosity.<ref>The plaque outside the park</ref> The town gave him the Freedom of the Town.
His brother George died in 1895.<ref name=oo/><ref name="adb">{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=Christine |last=Hirst |title=George Tinline (1815–1895) |volume=6 |edition= |year=1976 |id2=tinline-george-4725 |access-date=11 March 2024}}</ref> Tinline died in Nelson on 26 February 1907. Warwick House had been his residence.<ref name="pp" />
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tinline, John}} Category:1821 births Category:1907 deaths Category:People from Jedburgh Category:New Zealand farmers Category:Members of the Nelson Provincial Council