Robert Tomlinson (missionary)

Robert Tomlinson (1842–1913) was an Irish Anglican medical missionary, known for his work with the indigenous peoples of British Columbia.

He graduated from Trinity College in Dublin, worked as a livery hand to finance his medical training at Adelaide Hospital and was ordained in the Church of Ireland.

He served under the Church Missionary Society's Anglican lay minister in charge of the region, William Duncan, who was based at the Tsimshian community he founded, Metlakatla.

In 1887, Tomlinson vacillated as to whether he ought to join Duncan in his move with about 800 Tsimshians to form an independent (non-Anglican) mission at "New" Metlakatla, Alaska.

Instead, the Tomlinsons joined their fellow missionary A. E. Price in resigning from CMS and moving to the Gitksan village of Kitwanga well up the Skeena River from Metlakatla.