William ROBINS 1810 - Heathfield ***COMPLETED***

[kizmiaz]

Hi Helen

Yes, it would appear that William's father was named Thomas and James' father was named William and they were both the sons of James Robins and Susannah Cornford.

William and Barbary's son was Thomas William Robins born about 1834, and there is a marriage listed for a Thomas Robins to a Harriett Brook in Hailsham in Dec qtr 1854. There doesn't appear to be any corresponding Robins family in 1861, BUT there is a Brook family living in Eastbourne who are very probably the same couple. Harriet seems to have lost several years off her age, but other than that....! It looks to me like Thomas took his wife's surname at their marriage.

So, if I've worked things out correctly, the only situation that makes sense is that Thomas Brook was the son of Harriet Brook and Thomas William Robins and therefore Thomas Brook was the grandson of William and Barbary as shown on the cenuses.

With Thomas being born there, and William and Barbary dying there, I think the Hellingly workhouse must have been sick of seeing the members of the Robins' family!

William and Barbary Robins were my gggg-grandparents, so Thomas Brook would have been the cousin of my gg-grandfather Samuel William Robins, born in Hailsham in 1862.

And yes, I am the Glen Robins from Ancestry. The Robins of Sussex tree is very much still a work in progress, started after I bought a book called "The Robins or Robbins Family of England" which had only 1 person named Robins to cover the entire county. I thought I'd try to put the record straight!

(Does any of this make sense?)

Regards

Glen

[isababe]

Hi Glen

That is all very helpful.  It would make sense that Harriet married Thomas Robins as that would be why the son was called Thomas too.  It would also make sense if Harriet and Thomas didn't marry until Dec qrt of 1854 why Thomas Brook was called Brook.  On his birth certificate there is no father mentioned.  That would then make the connection to William and Barbary being his grandparents.  I wonder what made Thomas and Harriet go to Eastbourne and leave their son with grandparents.  I'll investigate that one further.  It would also clear up the mystery of why there is so much confusion between the Brook family and Robins.  As i think i mentioned before if you look at the 1891 census Thomas (1854) who married Elizabeth Saunders was listed as a Robins.  No wonder it has all taken so long to figure out. I think i might order up the cert for Thomas Robins and Harriet for my records.  My Mum is going to love it all.  She is the Brook and direct descendent she has been in Spain for a month but gets back on Wednesday, we have been puzzling over all this for at least a couple of months.  I have certainly had my money's worth out of Ancestry.
When my Great grandfather was born Charles John (Thomas and Elizabeth son) Barbary Robins was present at the birth and is listed on his birth certificate.  For quite some time we wondered whether she was the local midwife before we put together all the intermarriages between the families.
Thank you so much for your help.  I will list it all now and try and add to my tree in the right order.  I do like the GR one so that i can see it all laid out but obviously Ancestry gives you more in connecting census records etc.
If I can send you any info for your records please let me know.
Regards
Helen
As you say the Workhouse was a busy place in those days wasn't it.