Rawlings Family Search - Still Causing Confusion

[Lawgirl]

Hi All

I am trying to search for the Rawlings family, but it is causing great confusion.

John Rawlings married Matilda Underhill in Tetbury 1889 & had a son Robert William Rawlings born - 18 Feb 1900 (possibly in Portsmouth).  It is believed that John was a Petty Officer in the Royal Marines & died not long after Robert william was born.  I can find no birth record for Robert William.  It is believed that John's birth year was around 1859 & Matilda 1864.  I have had no trouble finding Matilda's side of the family but when it comes to John it's proving very difficult. 

I have found a Robert William on the 1911 Census living with his mother in Bristol, Matilda is stated as widowed.  I have found a John Rawlings on the 1891 census as being in Gloucester Lunatic Asylum (could this be him?). 

A chatter from Roots kindly helped me & found a Robert William Davis B in Portsmouth in 1900, mother Matilda Davis on the 1901 census.  But this would mean that Matilda was a Underhill then married & became a Rawlings, then changed to Davis & then back to Rawlings which makes no sense at all.  The chatter  who helped me found a wedding for a Davis to Underhill in Sept 1901 in London, they advised me to get a birth cert for this Robert Davis but it turns out the father name was Robert & not James as stated on the marriage cert.  I simply do not know if this Davis is of any connection at all.  The only info i know is 100% correct is that Robert william Rawlings married a Maggie Pitman in Bath Somerset Glos in 1922.  Stated on that marriage cert for father of groom is John Rawlings deceased.

Could it be that Matilda married John then he went into Asylum & she went onto marry Davis, bit it still does not explain why they reverted back the the name Rawlings if this is the correct family.

We know he was a Postman in Bristol later on in his life & it looks like I have a probate for Matilda & she leaves all to Robert.  I am totally & utterly confused & dont really know what my next search should be or where???

Any help would be gratefully appreciated

Many thanks

[iluleah]

Is this your Matilda?

Name:    Matilda Underhill
Event Type:    Census
Event Date:    1871
Gender:    Female
Age:    6
Relationship to Head of Household:    Daughter
Birthplace:    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Schedule Type:    Household
Registration District:    Tetbury
Sub-District:    Tetbury
Parish:    Tetbury
County:    Gloucestershire
     Household    Gender    Age    Birthplace
Self    William Underhill    M    44    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Wife    Elizabeth Underhill    F    45    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Daughter    Eliza Underhill    F    18    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    Albert Underhill    M    15    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    Richard Underhill    M    14    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Daughter    Caroline Underhill    F    12    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    Eli Underhill    M    10    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    Henry Underhill    M    8    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Daughter    Matilda Underhill    F    6    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    Edward Underhill    M    4    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    John Underhill    M    1    Tetbury, Gloucestershire

[iluleah]

Only two John Rawlings on the 1871 with a father James

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VFV8-QGC
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VBD4-18Q

[iluleah]

Births Jun 1900  RAWLINGS    John Archibald T        Faringdon    2c   279

The district Faringdon spans the boundaries of the counties of Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire

Even with wild cards for the surname there are no John William registered, two John Rawson in the 1Q where he is likely to have been registered ( could be transcription errors) both born North of the country and a John RAWLING registered in the 2Q again north of the country ( Yorkshire)

[iluleah]

Marriages 2Q 1889   
Rawlings    John         Tetbury    6a   659    
Underhill    Matilda         Tetbury    6a   659

The district Tetbury spans the boundaries of the counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

[iluleah]

Marriages Sep 1901   
Davis    James        Edmonton    3a   1004   
Rawlings    Matilda Louisa         Edmonton    3a   1004    

The district Edmonton spans the boundaries of the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire and Middlesex

[iluleah]

Deaths Jun 1899  Rawlings    John    36    Melksham    5a   80
The district Melksham is in the county of Wiltshire
    
Deaths Sep 1899   Rawlings    John    39    Salford    8d   120
The district Salford spans the boundaries of the counties of Greater Manchester and Lancashire

[Lawgirl]

Is this your Matilda?

Name:    Matilda Underhill
Event Type:    Census
Event Date:    1871
Gender:    Female
Age:    6
Relationship to Head of Household:    Daughter
Birthplace:    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Schedule Type:    Household
Registration District:    Tetbury
Sub-District:    Tetbury
Parish:    Tetbury
County:    Gloucestershire
     Household    Gender    Age    Birthplace
Self    William Underhill    M    44    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Wife    Elizabeth Underhill    F    45    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Daughter    Eliza Underhill    F    18    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    Albert Underhill    M    15    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    Richard Underhill    M    14    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Daughter    Caroline Underhill    F    12    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    Eli Underhill    M    10    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    Henry Underhill    M    8    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Daughter    Matilda Underhill    F    6    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    Edward Underhill    M    4    Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Son    John Underhill    M    1    Tetbury, Gloucestershire

Hi yes i think this is the family

[iluleah]

All the above is just data..so

Could it be that Matilda married John then he went into Asylum & she went onto marry Davis, bit it still does not explain why they reverted back the the name Rawlings if this is the correct family

We try not to make assumptions and only work on facts that we can find as in records, but because we are human and need logic to explain everything we do...so human logic only John Rawlings could havegone into the Asylum/died, she lived with/married Davis...he died or she left him or he left her she reverted back to her previous married name.... John William Rawlings didn't know the name of his father, gave what he thought was his name ( real father....or mothers second husband  )