Mary Rawling (Old) Fielding (abt. 1816 - abt. 1889)

Born about 1816 in Rosedinnick, St Columb Major, Cornwall, England

Ancestors

Wife of William Fielding — married 3 Sep 1840 in St Merryn, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom

Died about 21 Jul 1889 at about age 73 in Newquay, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jessie Gregor [send private message]

Biography

Mary was baptised on the 9th February 1816 at St Columb, Cornwall. Her residence then was noted as Rosedinnick, and she was the oldest of at least five children born to William Old (a labourer) and Mary Rawling. Her mother's surname (and her own middle name) had many spelling variations including, mostly commonly, Rawling, Rawlings and Rawlins! Mary, however, was baptised as Mary Rollin Old and signed as Mary Roling Old when she married even though the vicar had written Mary Rawlings Old.

The marriage of Mary and William Fielding on the 3rd September 1840 was unusual in that there were records of it being in both St Merryn and Padstow, Cornwall. It is definitely in the St Merryn Parish Register of Marriages 1837-1901 and the image may be seen for free on Family Search. It shows the groom was William Fielding, a bachelor of full age whose residence was Padstow. He was a mariner, and his father, Michael, had the same occupation. Mary was also of full age, a spinster from 'Great Trerembourne in St Merin' whose father was William, a labourer. The witnesses were John Old and Nancy Grigg.

In their first census in 1841 as newly-weds, the couple were living at Trehemborne in St Merryn with Mary's parents. Obviously, the ages were rounded down in this particular census so Mary was listed as 20 years old, and husband William was listed as a sailor, also aged 20. Mary was pregnant at this time with their first child. The couple had at least six children: Fanny (1841), John (1843), William (1845), Joseph (1848), Richard (1850) and Elizabeth (1853).

Sadly, according to the death certificate, Mary was a witness to her mother's death (caused by a 'parylitic seizure') on the 5th July 1842 at Shop, St Merryn. When Mary registered the death on the 26th July 1842, she also confirmed that her own residence was Shop.

In her next census in 1851, she was living at Trevear in St Merryn. Mary was listed as the head, married, with 'her husband to sea'. She must have been having a tough time of it because she now had five young children to care for: Fanny (9), John (7), William (5), Joseph (2), and baby Richard (5 months).

More hardship was to follow, though, because husband William tragically died in the wreck of 'The Three Brothers' at sea on the 20th February 1854. How on earth did she managed with six young children to bring up on her own! Let's hope her family and friends supported her in every way they could.

Mary never remarried so, in the 1861 census, she is recorded as the head of the family, aged 45, a widow born in St Columb. Also living with her at Towan, St Merryn, was her father, William Old, also widowed, aged 85, an 'alms man formerly agricultural labourer'. All six children were still living at home: Fanny (19, a dressmaker), John (17, a blacksmith apprentice), William (15, a shoemaker apprentice), and the three youngest children Joseph (12), Richard (10) and Elizabeth (7), all still at school.

Things had changed by the 1871 census. Mary 'Feilding', widow, was now working as a nurse and living at Rosevean, St Merryn. She was 55 years old and working for the young Hellyar family.

There had been an even greater change by the 1881 census because Mary was living at 38 Emanuel Street, Portsea Island, Hampshire. She was now aged 65 and listed as a visitor, living with her married son, Joseph, a shipwright and his young family. Maybe she had gone over to see her two grandchildren: William James, aged 3, and the new baby, Frederick Charles, just one month old!

Sadly, that was to be Mary's last census because, according to her death certificate, she died at Newquay, St Columb Minor, Cornwall on the 21st July 1889. She was aged 72, the widow of William Fielding, a master mariner, and her death was registered by her son, Joseph W Fielding. Mary was buried on the 24th July 1889 at Newquay but I haven't found that grave yet. I'll keep searching ...

Sources

• Baptism record and original image from the St Columb Major Parish Register of Baptisms 1813-1833 [1].
• Cornwall Parish Registers are transcribed at the free website: https://cornwall-opc-database.org/ and the original parish register images may be seen at Family Search, Kresen Kernow (Cornwall Record Office), and on microfiche at Wadebridge Library, Cornwall.
• Marriage record; "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2J2-C5N : 13 March 2020), William Fielding, 1840.
• UK marriage registration: St Columb, Vol 9, Page 73, September quarter 1840 (William Fielding/Mary Rawlins Old).
• 1841 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQB3-T36 : 23 May 2019), William Fielding in household of William Old, St Merryn, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
• 1851 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SG2C-XP5 : 9 November 2019), Mary Fielding, St Merryn, Cornwall, England; citing St Merryn, Cornwall, England, p. 11, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
• 1861 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7HR-16C : 24 October 2019), Mary Fielding, St Merryn, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
• 1871 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDZG-NP5 : 30 April 2019), Mary Feilding in entry for George Albert Hellyar, 1871.
• 1881 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q274-697X : 11 December 2017), Mary Fielding in household of Joseph Fielding, Portsea, Hampshire, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 55, Piece/Folio 1141/140, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,531.
• UK death registration: St Columb, Vol 5c, Page 61, September quarter 1889 (given age 72).