Alexander Tolmer

Alexander Tolmer

Alexander Tolmer (* 1815 - March 17, 1890 in Adelaide ) was an Australian police chief and explorer. He became known for exploring the Northern Territory with Frederick Henry Litchfield .

Life

Tolmer was born in England in 1815 to French parents . He spent his childhood in France . He became a cavalryman and at the age of 21 adjutant and instructor. He married in 1836.

He later emigrated to the British colony of Australia . He reached the city of Adelaide in South Australia on February 8, 1840 .

As a trained cavalryman, he quickly made a career in the police force. In August 1840 he (successfully) took part in a punitive expedition against natives ( Aborigines ) who (allegedly, but unexplained) had killed 25 stranded sailors.

In 1852 he became the chief of police in South Australia. During this time he helped set up a gold transport route between Mount Alexander near Castlemaine and Adelaide. He also helped found the town of Bordertown.

After an internal investigation into the morale and efficiency of the police, Tolmer was demoted to chief inspector and six months later sidelined with official work.

In 1859 Tolmer led an expedition through Australia's central desert to the north coast. Frederick Litchfield also took part in this expedition. This company was in competition with an expedition by John McDouall Stuart . Compared to Stuart's expedition, Tolmer's company was poorly organized. It only reached the Flinders Ranges and ended in financial disaster.

He died on March 17, 1890 in the South Australian city of Adelaide. He was buried there in the Mitcham cemetery.

Web links

• Biography - Alexander Tolmer - Australian Dictionary of Biography , accessed April 3, 2018.