JOHN TONKINSON : Obituary

Published in the Birmingham Mail on 14 January 2010 (Distributed in Birmingham):

TONKINSON John James. On 4th January, 2010 aged 79 at his home in Sandness, Shetland. Beloved husband of the late Barbara father of Simon and Johanna and grandfather of Christopher and Robert. Retired Chief Superintendent of Police in Birmingham and Dudley.

David Wilson writes: "As a teenager I spent many an hour at the Tonkinson's homes in Southam Road in Hall Green and later at Dayhouse bank in Romsley. JT had a wicked sense of humour, much sharper than even Simon's and a depth of knowledge I've not seen in anybody else in nearly the 40 years since I first met him."
"I remember the Birmingham Pub bombings in 1974 and JT (who was off duty at the time) rushed to the city centre to help out."
"JT's son Simon was at school with me, from 1971 to 1978 and his daughter Johanna (how many times was that atypical spelling drummed into my thick skull, Jo?) also went there five years later. I suppose you could say that 'Tonky' and I best friends for at least some of that time. It was always a treat to visit their house. The smell of wholemeal bread either proving on the boiler, or being baked filled the whole house (and it was a big house). More recently, I know from passing comments from Simon that firstly Mrs T and then JT suffered from acute illnesses."

"My condolences to Simon and his family and to Johanna and her family for their losses"

RIP JT

DTW 15/2/2010