John Edward Tomlisson was born in Rochdale on August 26, 1866.
His two biggest victories were achieved while still a teenager, in the 1884 Great Metropolitan Handicap on Zadig and the 1885 Royal Hunt Cup on Eastern Emperor.
In 1887 he left Britain to continue his riding career in America.
Having returned to England, he rode a further four winners. The first three were all at Newmarket in October, 1891: Star in the Rose Plate on the 16th, Chloris, which dead-heated for the Troy Stakes on the 27th, and Woolsthorpe, which won the Isleham Plate on the 28th.
John's last win was on Gymnast which won the Cookham Selling Welter Handicap at Windsor on 20th May 1893.
He died in Philadelphia on October 26, 1938, aged 72.