• Name: Tobin, John
• Gender: Male
• Birth Date: 26  January  1770
• Death Date: 7  December  1804
• Occupation: playwright

Godwin has some contact with John Tobin (1770-1804) and his brother Captain George Tobin although most contacts are with another brother, James Webbe Tobin.
John Tobin (1770-1804) wrote mainly comic plays and had little succes in his early years. At Godwin's urging, Tobin agreed to put his name to Godwin's own play Antonio. The first and only performance of the tragedy was in December 1800. The meeting of 16 November 1800 might signify collaboration on the play:
' Breakfast at Tobin's: Tobins (read)'
Tobin died of tuberculosis in 1804.

• DNB.

This table lists the people this person is most frequently noted with in the diary.

• Name: Tobin, James Webbe
• Gender: Male
• Birth Date: 19  October  1767
• Death Date: 14  October  1814
• Occupation: slavery abolitionist

James Webbe Tobin (1767-1814), slavery abolitionist. Graduated from Wadham College, Oxford in 1791 and visited revolutionary France, involved in radical politics at least in his youth, possibly a member of the London Constitutional Society.

See also John Tobin (1770-1804), playwright. James Webbe and John Tobin were brothers, were very close, and probably moved in similar social circles. Although, Godwin does not distinguish between the two brothers, the fact that the contacts continue after 1804 and do not record John's death suggest that the primary contact is with James.

Entries for 'Tobin's' are coded as both as they shared lodgings from 1796. This might not be completely accurate, John left London some time in 1804, but we lack details for greater precision.

The first meeting, mis-spelt Tobine, is at Montagu's in April 1796 and they continue through that year, in conjunction with Montagu, Wordsworth, Stoddart. In 1797, he appears with Holcroft. By 1799, he is also appearing with Davy, Coleridge, making it more likely that the primary contact is James.

The meetings at the end of 1800 might signify collaboration on Godwin's play Antonio: 'Breakfast at Tobin's: (read)'. Thus these entry would refer to John Tobin.

21 June 1801, 'J Tobin' presents a problem as they share this initial, but it has been taken as an attempt at differentiation and treated as John.

20 March 1803 'dine at Tobin's , w. Coleridge, capt. Tobin and Ht' While 'Tobin's' indicates James and John, Capt Tobin refers to their brother George Tobin (1768-1838), naval officer and artist, who sailed on Bligh's second voyage to Tahiti. He seems to have been at home on half-pay between 1801 and 1804 so could certainly have been at this dinner.

On 4 January 1804, 'Tobin's White' suggests that Tobin is not present but that a friend of his, White, is..

Overall, the primary contact is assumed to be James due to his involvement in Godwin's circle (see DNB entry for James); because the contacts continue after John's death; and because 'John Tobin' is distinguished in 1803 but James is never distinguished. Godwin is not mentioned in Memoirs of John Tobin (1820). In addition, a letter from Elizabeth Inchbald to Godwin which mentions the Tobins supports the above analysis.

• MS. Abinger c. 8, fols. 106-9: 7 March [1805].
• DNB.

This table lists the people this person is most frequently noted with in the diary.