Introduction

William Robins is listed as a carpenter in the 1841 census for Hardington. However, he had no real connection to the village and was merely passing through, staying overnight while travelling between Odcombe and Toller Whelme. He and his family had temporarily relocated from Odcombe to Toller Whelme, probably to fulfil a building project. William was married three times and had ten children from his first marriage, as well as a daughter with his second wife.

Childhood

William was born around 1801 at Blackdown, Broadwindsor, the second of five children born to William and Mary Robins.[1] His father, William, was a carpenter.

His parents married at Broadwindsor in 1797. After living there for a few years, the family moved to East Chinnock and later to Odcombe.

William’s mother, Mary, died at Odcombe in March 1826 at the age of 57. His father died at Odcombe in December 1846 at the age of 86.

First marriage

On 15 February 1831, William married Lucy Burt at Odcombe. At the time, William was about 30 years old, and Lucy was about 23. Both signed the marriage register with a mark.

Over the next sixteen years, they had ten children. Four of them were baptised together at Odcombe on 25 May 1835.

In June 1841, William was at Hardington, staying in the household of innkeeper Thomas Leach. Lucy and their five children were at Toller Whelme. William was likely at Hardington on the night of the census (Sunday, 6 June) because he was travelling between Odcombe and Toller Whelme.

A dark period

In about November 1849, Lucy was diagnosed with tuberculosis, followed by their daughter Mary in December. Lucy died on 29 April 1850 at the age of 42, and Mary died four days later, on 3 May, at the age of 19.[2] They were buried together at Odcombe on 6 May.

Lucy’s death left William as the sole guardian of eight children aged between about 2 and 18.  His oldest son, George, had already left home and was working as a carpenter at Hooke.

William remained a widower for eight years. During this time, his daughter Harriet died in July 1853 at the age of 15, and his son, James, died in February 1855 at the age of 18. Harriet was baptised on 9 April 1853, just three months before her death. The youngest child, Ellen, may also have died, although there is no burial or civil registration record for her.

Second marriage

In 1858, William married Tabitha Andrews, the widow of a farm labourer named John Andrews, who had died in 1845. Tabitha had given birth to a daughter, Letitia, in 1855. Letitia later adopted the name Robins and gave “William Robins” as her father’s name when she married. The 1861 census also recorded her as William’s daughter, not stepdaughter. Two other children are listed as his stepchildren.

In 1861, William and Tabitha lived at 11 Dunlane Head, Odcombe, along with Letitia, three children from William’s first marriage and two children from Tabitha’s first marriage. Tabitha died in February 1865 at the age of 54.

Third marriage

In the last quarter of 1868, William married Elizabeth Shearstone, a widow of Thorne Coffin, whose previous husband, John, had died in June of that year.

By April 1871, William and Elizabeth were living at Chilthorne Domer.

Death

William died at Chilthorne Domer in December 1878 at the age of 77. Elizabeth died there in January 1879 at the age of 70.

References

[1] The 1871 census gives his place of birth as Blackdown, Dorset, which is located in the parish of Broadwindsor. This place is more plausible than Odcombe, as recorded in the 1851 and 1861 census returns.

[2] Death certificate of Lucy Robins; death certificate of Mary Robins.