Rawls Ancestors

Third Generation

6. William Edmund Rawls was born on 6 Mar 1887 in Melplash, Netherbury R.S.D.. He died on 22 Jul 1956 in 3, Little Anglesey Road, Gosport, Hants and was buried in Melplash, Dorset. William married Gertrude Annie Barnes on 18 Feb 1913 in St Johns Church, Llanreath, Pembroke Dock. [Parents]


A big, tall man, only child of Thomas George...left school at 12 to help on the farm, later apprenticed as a wheelwright and carpenter (unfortunately wooden wagon wheels went out with the advent of the car.) He left home at an early age to go to London and joined the Metropolitan Police on 16th Aug 1909. He was transferred to Her (His) Majesty's Dockyard Police and sent to Pembroke Dock, where he met his future wife, Gertrude Annie Barnes.

Subsequently, was transferred to H.M. Dockyard in Portsmouth (abt 1916) and about 1935 bought a house at 3 Little Anglesea Road, Alverstoke, near Gosport (now a listed building) He retired from the police on 20 Aug 1934 at which time his pay was 4 pound 15 shillings a week. He was an upright 'pillar of the local community' and was a sidesman at St Mary's Church in Alverstoke for some years. Despite this, he was a hard man who held, by today's standards some views many would find intolerable.
When he died, he left a legacy in his will to the church in Melplash of £50. At the time of his death, £50 represented a tidy sum, and it is likely that this legacy caused some fairly sharp family reactions.
The church yearbook entrys for 1957 include:-

"A legacy of £50 received from the will of William Edmund Rawles (misspelled) son of Thomas George Rawles sexton 1902 - 1944 enabled the lamps over the gate at the transept door to be renewed. The porch light outside was replaced by an old gilt lantern inside - presented by Lady Diana Tiarks" (so it wasn't used for a stained-glass window)

He asked in his will that his body be taken back to Melplash for burial (a great expense in those days) and this was done. He had made life so unbearable for his wife, that she did not even attend his funeral. There is a chart of burial plots inside the church at Melplash, and this shows several entries for the name 'Rawls'. His precise location in the churchyard, whilst shown on the chart, cannot be easily verified since there is no headstone bearing his name.

Above provided by Nick Rawls c2000

1901 census gives surname as RAWLES

7. Gertrude Annie Barnes was born on 17 Oct 1888 in 1, Dimond Street East, Pembroke Dock USD. She died in 1962 in Gosport, Hants and was buried in Southampton (cremated). [Parents]

William & Gertrude were presented a French Mantle Clock on the occation of their marriage with the inscription:-
"Presented to Mr & Mrs Rawls from the Teachers & Members of Llanreath Mission on the occation of their marriage"
This clock is in the possesion of their Grandaughter Diana at this time (2003)
Gertrude attended local fairs dressed as the "Pearly Queen" with her friend Mrs Hobs dressed as the "Pearly King".
She preserved home grown Runner Beans using salt from blocks kept in a box in the kitchen.

Heather Rawls writes June 2003:-

"I spoke to Marion about the Rawls family home in Gosport. I remember Mayfield Rd mentioned as a brat. The family moved there from Melplash and Marion says she was born there. They moved to Little Anglesey in Coronation year (1937?) Mayfield road is to the north of Alver Creek, near Stone Lane School. Mayfield Rd has very small terraced houses like dads on Park Rd. so Little Anglesey must have felt palatial when they got there. Aunty Beat lived on Bury Rd. with a Mulberry tree just outside her back door. I turned deep red a few times!!"

[Child]

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