Paula Smith's Family History - Rawlins/Rawlings




***LAST UPDATED: 2nd December 2005***

  • John Rawlins (unknown)
  • William Rawlins (1784-unknown)
  • William Rawlins (1816-1884)
  • Henry Charles Rawlins (1852-1929)
  • Henry Charles Rawlings (1876-unknown)
  • Nellie Rawlings (1900-1975)

HOME PAGE

LIST OF SURNAMES

DIRECT FEMALE LINE

DIRECT MALE LINE

DEFINING RELATIONSHIPS

CONTACT ME

 

  • John Rawlins
married Sarah in an unknown year. Known children:
  1. Sarah Rawlins - Baptised 1777.
  2. Ann Rawlins - Baptised 1779.
  3. Elizabeth Rawlins - Baptised 1781.
  4. William Rawlins - Baptised 1784.
  5. Mary Rawlings - Baptised 1787.
All the children were baptised at the Parish Church in Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.

  • William Rawlins (1784 - unknown)
married (1) Frances Morris (1787 - 1817) in 1808 at St Peter Le Bailey Church, Oxford. Known children:
  1. Ann Rawlins - Baptised 1809, St Peter Le Bailey Church.
  2. William Rawlins - Baptised 1810, St Peter Le Bailey Church. Died 1812 aged 2 years. Buried in St. Peter Le Bailey Church.
  3. Amelia Rawlins - Baptised 1812, St Peter Le Bailey Church.
  4. Frances Rawlins - Baptised 1813, St Peter Le Bailey Church.
  5. William Rawlins - Baptised 1816, St Peter Le Bailey Church.
married (2) Susannah Davenport (nee Gardiner) in 1831 at St Peter Le Bailey Church, Oxford. Known children:
  1. Susannah Rawlins - Born and baptised 1831, St Giles Church, Oxford.
  2. Caroline Rawlins - Baptised 1833, St Giles Church.
  3. Sarah Caroline Rawlins - Baptised 1838, St Giles Church.

When William and Frances married neither had been married before and William signed his name. Both were of the parish of St. Peter Le Bailey. One of the witnesses of the marriage was a Sarah Morris, presumably a sister of Frances.

William was recorded as being a carpenter at the time of his children's baptisms, and the family were living in Bullocks Lane, Oxford.

Frances died in 1817 aged 30 years. She was buried at St Peter Le Bailey Church.

William remarried several years later. His second wife, Susannah, was a widow with young children. The witnesses to the marriage were Jane and Jemima Gardner, both signed with a 'X' as did Susannah. Susannah would have been about 6 or 7 months pregnant when she married William.

At the time of Caroline's birth in 1833, William and Susannah were living in Adam's Yard, Oxford. In 1838, when Sarah was baptised, the family were living at Caroline Row in Oxford.

The 1841 census incorrectly notes Susannahs two daughters from her first marriage as Rawlins. Also, the ages for Elizabeth, Eliza and Susan have been rounded down. There is no mention of the Caroline born in 1833 but does note Sarah as being Caroline.

The 1851 census again incorrectly noted Sarah as being Caroline - maybe Sarah was known as Caroline. By this point the family had moved to Summertown, then a small hamlet on the edge of Oxford.

  • William Rawlins (1816 - 1884)

    married Eliza Simms (1821 - 1885) in 1839 at St Paul's Church, Oxford. Known children:
    1. William Rawlins - Baptised 1840, St. Giles Church, Oxford.
    2. Rosa Rawlins - Baptised 1842, St. Giles Church. Buried aged 4 years in 1846.
    3. Eliza Anne Rawlins - Baptised 1844, St. Giles Church.
    4. Julia Rawlins - Baptised 1846, St. Giles Church.
      1. Henry Brooks
      2. Julia E. Brooks - Born 1870
      3. Albert Brooks
    5. Edwin John Rawlins - Baptised 1850, St. Giles Church. Buried 1854.
    6. Henry Charles Rawlins - Born about 1850-1852. Christened at St. Giles Church 29th Feb 1852. Died Oxford, 1929.
    7. Edward Rawlins
    8. Mary Ann Rawlins - Baptised 1857, St. Giles Church. Died 1858.
    9. Alfred Sims Rawlins - Baptised 1859, St. Giles Church.

When William and Eliza married they were both of full age, neither had been married before and were married by banns. They both signed their names with a 'X'. They were noted as living on Union Street. William's father was noted as being a carpenter. Eliza's father, John, was a labourer. The witnesses to the marriage were Joseph Simms (signed with a 'X' and presumbly a relative of Eliza's) and Mary Bryan.

At the time of the children's baptisms, William was recorded as working as a coachsmith and a labourer. The family lived in various places over the years - Adam's Yard, Boot Alley, Parkers Square - which were recorded at the time of the baptism records. William was later noted as being a blacksmith's labourer.

Rosa and Edwin John were both buried at St Giles Church. It was noted that Edwin had died of smallpox.

The 1871 census says the family were living in the parish of St Giles, Oxford. William was working as a blacksmith's labourer. Julia was married and her surname was Brooks. Both she and her 6 month old daughter, also Julia, were living with the family. There is no mention of Julia's husband although she is not recorded as being a widow. Henry was working as a bricklayer, Edward was a carpenters apprentice, and Alfred was at school. Also living with the family was one year old Harry Rawlins. Harry is recorded as being a grandson of William's. I think this was an incorrect entry, it should have read Harry Brooks (also known as Henry).

Both William and Eliza were buried at St Giles Church in Oxford. They were both noted as living at Radcliffe Row in Oxford.


  • Henry Charles Rawlings (b.abt 1852-1929)

    married (1) Martha Johnson (1852-1898) in the Parish Church in the Parish of St. Giles, Oxford, 1872. Known children:
    1. Eliza Ann Rawlings - Born Oxford, 1873.
    2. Alice Louisa Rawlings - Born Oxford, 1875. Baptised 1875, St. Giles Church.
    3. Henry Charles Rawlings - Born Oxford, 1876. Baptised Christmas Day 1876, St. Giles Church.
    4. Alfred Rawlings - Baptised 1878, St. Giles Church. Died 1878.
    5. Walter Rawlings - Born Oxford, 1879. Baptised 1880, St. Giles Church.
    6. William Rawlings - Born Oxford, 1884. Batpised 1886, St Paul's Church, Oxford. Died 1884 aged 6 weeks. Buried at St Paul's Church.
    7. Benjamin Rawlings - Born Oxford, 1882. Batpised 1883, St Paul's Church.
    8. Frederick Rawlings - Born Oxford, 1885. Batpised 1886, St Paul's Church.
    9. Jesse Rawlings - Born Oxford, 1888. Batpised 1888, St Paul's Church. Died 1892 aged 4 years. Buried at StPaul's Church.

    married (2) Emma Crook (nee Timms), a widow, in Oxford, 1899.

Although I haven't yet found Henry's birth registration I have found a reference to his christening which took place on 29th February 1852.

From 1872 onwards the surname seems to have been mainly spelt as 'Rawlings'.

Henry  was of full age when he married Martha, who was 20 years old. Henry's father, William, is recorded as being a labourer. Martha's father, Benjamin, was a hawker of earthenware. One of the witnesses at this marriage was Edward Rawlings - Henry's brother.

The baptism records show that the family lived in King Street, Oxford, until at least 1888. After 1888 they lived in Cardigan Street, Oxford.

Henry worked as a bricklayer throughout his life. The 1891 census shows Eliza was working as a machinist factory hand and Henry (junior) was an errand boy.

Martha was unable to write as on both her marriage certificate and the birth certificate of Henry (junior) a cross was made and noted as her mark. Martha died in 1898 of a cerebral embolism and pneumonia. She was buried at St Paul's Church aged 46 years.

Henry married Emma at the age of 49. His father, William, was noted as deceased, and had been a coach builder - a different occupation to that noted at Henry's first marriage and in the 1871 census. The 1901 cenus shows that Henry and Emma were living with her children from her previous marriage.

Henry died in Headington, Oxford, in 1929. His causes of death were noted as a cerebral haemorrhage and chronic cystitis.


  • Henry Charles Rawlings (1876-unknown)

    married Ellen New in 1899, at the Parish Church in the Parish of St Clement, Oxford. Known children:
    1. Nellie Rawlings - born Fulham, 1900, married William George Smith in 1922, died of a heart attack, Fulham, 1975.
    2. Alice Rawlings - Born Fulham, 1902. Died Fulham, 1984. Never married.
    3. Henry Charles Rawlings - Born Fulham, 1906. Died Fulham, 1930.

Henry and Ellen were 22 and 25 respectively when they got married. At the time of marriage Henry was already living in Fulham, Ellen was still in Oxford. The wedding was witnessed by Henry's father and Susan Harriet New - the sister of Ellen.

Henry was recorded as being a bricklayer both at the time of his marriage and in the 1901 census.