William Henry Robbins (1888 - 1958)

Born 7 Apr 1888 in Marylebone, London, England

Ancestors

Husband of Florence May (Birch) Robbins — married 1916 in Willesden, Middlesex, England

Descendants

Died 17 Apr 1958 at age 70 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Nick Miller [send private message]

Biography

William Robbins was born in Middlesex, England.

William Robbins migrated from England to Canada.

1891 England & Wales Census
Birth: Circa 1889 - Marylebone, Middlesex
Residence: 1891 - 25, Marylebone, London, England
Parents: William Robbins, Jennie Robbins
Sister: Alice Robbins

Name: William H Robbins
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 31 Mar 1901
Event Place: Heston, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom
Ecclesiastical Parish: St Leonards
Sex: Male
Age: 12
Relationship to Head of Household: Boarder
Birth Year (Estimated): 1889
Birthplace: Marylebone, London

Geographical Note and Social context: By the mid-18th century, St Marylebone had developed into a small village surrounded by pastoral fields with the adjacent pleasure-ground of Marylebone Gardens laid to the southeast. The third church building was built directly on the ground of its predecessor and opened in April 1742.
However, these modest premises soon proved too small to adequately support and serve its rapidly developing parish, which had grown from 577 houses in 1739 to 6200 houses by 1795. Thus, a fourth parish church was planned and executed in the 19th century.
After the building and consecration of the fourth parish church, the third church continued to serve its parish as a small chapel-of-ease . ^[1]
Marylebone became a fashionable place to live but also to visit. Before the redevelopment began, the bowling greens had been turned into pleasure gardens. They closed in the 1770s, by which time the gardens were hemmed in by other buildings.
During the late-18th century, the main street became the Marylebone High Street . Tradesmen included an apothecary, baker, goldbeater, hairdresser, shoemaker and watchmaker.
The Portland Estate leased pieces of land out on 99-year leases, on which builders of all types built according to plans approved by the Estate. Alongside buildings developed by private speculators were others built for the public good, like the workhouse and schools and a police station that was opened in 1821.
As well as the rich and fashionable, the Marylebone parish had its share of poverty, homelessness and associated problems. Following its demise, the Marylebone Gardens area degenerated into slums, home to the poorest and most helpless, attracting beggars and criminals. Victorian reformers such as Octavia Hill and Lady Howard de Walden began to redevelop the houses around Grotto Passage and Paradise Street from the 1860s onwards with what was effectively social housing. A ragged school for poor children was built in 1846 and clubs for poor and homeless opened.^[2]

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace
Matilda Smith Head F 58 Amersham, Buckinghamshire
William H Robbins Boarder M 12 Marylebone, London

Name: William Robbins
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1911
Event Place: Willesden, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom
Sex: Male
Age: 23
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: PAINTER
Number in Family: 6
Birth Year (Estimated): 1888
Birthplace: Marelebone, London
Relationship to Head of Household: Boarder

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace
Thomas Wynn Head M 29 Brixton, London
Alice Maud Wynn Wife F 31
Stanley Austin Stepson M 9 Hackney, London
Hariot Fisher Visitor F 67
Ernest West Boarder M 23 Hampshire
William Robbins Boarder M 23 Marelebone, London

Name: William H Robbins
Event Type: Marriage
Event Place: Willesden, Middlesex, England
Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec
Registration Year: 1916
Spouse Name (available after 1911): Birch
Possible Spouse: Florence Birch

Name: Joan Alice Robbins
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 21 Jan 1918
Event Place: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Birth Date: 21 Jan 1918
Birthplace: Victoria, British Columbia
Father's Name: Wm Hy Robbins
Mother's Name: Birch

NAME: William Robins
AGE: 33
BIRTH YEAR: 1888
RESIDENCE DISTRICT: Victoria (City)
RESIDENCE PROVINCE OR TERRITORY: British Columbia
SPOUSE'S NAME: Florence Robins

HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS:
Name Age
William Robins 33
Florence Robins 26
Edward Robins 1
Irene Robins 3/12^[3]

Biographical Note

There were three children from Bill Robbins. Ted, Irene and Jenny. Ted had Garry, Russel and Shirley, one of his daughter in laws was Susan.
Jenny had 2 children, Robin who was a Mountie and a daughter.
Irene had three daughters, Peggy, Linda whose husband was a diplomat in Indonesia, and Cathie who died in Mexico where her and her husband went every winter. She had only just moved to Saskatoon to be near to her daughter and grandchildren.^[4]

Death Event Date: 17 Apr 1958
Event Place: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Gender: Male
Age: 70
Marital Status: Married
Birth Date: 16 Apr 1888
Birthplace: Middlesex, England
Father's Name: William Robbins
Mother's Name: Jane Marks
Spouse's Name: Florence Buck

Sources

1. ↑ https://stmarylebone.org/about-us/heritage/heritage-the-four-churches/third-church/
2. ↑ https://www.marylebonevillage.com/about-and-visit/our-history
3. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com/search/categories/35/?name=William+Henry_Robbins&birth=1888_Marylebone-London-England&death=1958_Victoria-British+Columbia-Canada&father=William_Robbins&location=3243&mother=Jane_Marks&priority=canada&spouse=Florence_Birch
4. ↑ Personal recollection of Doreen Cooper Robbins-7118

• 1891 census copy of original entry in keeping of profile manager.
• "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X96Z-3S2 : 20 May 2019), William H Robbins in household of Matilda Smith, Heston, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Isleworth subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
• "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XW4Q-91N : 5 July 2019), William Robbins in household of Thomas Wynn, Willesden, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
• "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:26FJ-QR9 : 13 December 2014), William H Robbins and null, 1916; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1916, quarter 4, vol. 3A, p. 546, Willesden, Middlesex, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
• "British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986; 1992-1993", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK6G-WHZQ : 8 November 2017), Wm Hy Robbins in entry for Joan Alice Robbins, 1918.
• "British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986; 1992-1993", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLRG-6QG : 8 November 2017), Florence Buck in entry for William Henry Robbins, 1958.

Robbins web site