Thomas Rowling 1817 - 1894
Thomas Rowling was born on 22nd June 1817 [or, less reliably, 9th June 1819] in Redruth, Cornwall, one of six children of Mary [Williams] and William Rawlings, a butcher in Cambourne. He died in Riwaka, near Nelson, a relatively balmy area at the top of the South Island of New Zealand. His name, and that of his Cornish ancestors, was originally given as Rawlings; it apparently changed when he settled in New Zealand. As with Frances & Thomas Shayle George, he represents one wing of my family’s migration to New Zealand. Like them, he was likely seeking fresh opportunity, although in a different milieu, since they were middle class professionals, and he came from a farming/working class background.
Thomas Rawlings/Rowling was the great grandfather of both my grandmother Gwendolen Rowling and Wallace (Bill) Rowling, former NZ Prime Minister.
The following is extracted from an unattributed booklet Rowling Reunion 1841 – 1962, where his occupation is variously described as cabin boy, stone mason, and farmer. By inference, he was married with two children before he set out to New Zealand the first time.
In 1841 Thomas Rowling sailed as a member of the preliminary expedition of the New Zealand Land Company. This expedition, under Captain Arthur Wakefield, was to choose and survey the site of Nelson settlement. It comprised the ships Whitby (barque, 437 tons), Will Watch (barque, 251 tons), and the Arrow (brig, 200 tons). They sailed from Gravesend on 2nd May 1841, and after calling at Wellington sailed across Cook Strait to drop anchor off Kaiteriteri on 9th October 1841. Thomas had been chosen because of his cleanliness of dress and person, as cabin boy or personal valet to Captain Wakefield. It is claimed by many that he was the first man to step ashore and was thus given the nick-name "Hop-ashore Tommy."
The expedition explored much of the land around the bay. Wakefield had almost decided on Kaiteriteri but a boat sent to explore the other side of the bay returned with the news of the discovery of Nelson Haven and so was Nelson founded.
The wives and families of the advance expedition among whom, were Thomas Rowling's wife Elizabeth [Pascoe, born 1817], arrived in Nelson at the end of February 1842 in the "ill-fated" barque Lloyds - 65 of the children aboard had died on the voyage out, of whom three were Thomas and Elizabeth's [aged 2, 1, and 9 months, according to Lloyds list].
On 2nd May 1842, Thomas Rowling arrived in Riwaka, this time to settle there, with a survey party under Samuel Stephens. Others in the party included Henry Fry, William Lodder. Bernard McMahon, William Mickell and David White. Later in the year the first women settlers arrived and with Elizabeth Rowling came Ann Fry, Anna Lodder, Margaret McMahon, Euphemia Mickell and Elizabeth White. In later years Thomas Rowling's son Edward married Lucy, daughter of Anna and William Lodder.
In the next ten years Thomas Rowling became one of the foremost citizens of Riwaka and in 1852 was appointed as a trustee of the first public school ground in Riwaka.
Thomas Rowling, who by trade was a stone mason, built the first and last brewery in Motueka, for Staples Bros in 1855. At this time there was not a bridge over the Motueka River and David Drummond recalled that as ferry boy he used to row Thomas Rowling to and fro each morning and night when he was building the brewery.
Elsewhere, it is noted that subsequent to migration Thomas "hewed himself a farm".
Subsequent to the tragic voyage, Thomas and Elizabeth started a family again. They had six further children, the first of which was my great-great-grandfather Edward Rowling, apparently the first white child born in Nelson. Thomas died at Riwaka on 20th June 1894 at the age of 75, and with Elizabeth who died on 12th August 1885 is buried in the Riwaka cemetery.
8 Comments:
It's interesting how much the internet has enabled a lot of this kind of research into family history. When I was growing up in London I was always told that, for Jewish people, it would be a waste of time because most trails would go to what were then Iron Curtain countries and disappear. However, now things have changed and lots of information has become available through either the new relative openness and/or the net.
Stephen,
Picked this up on a routine search. Currently we hold a copy of the Rowling family tree which tracks back the Rowling/Rawling/Rawlings (history still argues over the correct spelling) line to William the Conquerer. The copy is old and an early original photocopy (I cannot guarantee the accuracy and sometimes not al that readable). I believe it as generated by the Pascoe descendants. It does however give a lineage and shows the family crest. If you would like a copy drop me a line and I will endeavour to get a copy to you. May take a while, as like Carl, I am resident in Auckland at present.
David Rowling
My gg grandmother Sarah Cummings nee Brown was Thomas Rowling's second wife. His son William (Bill) married Sarah's daughter Annie Cummings.
I have always had stories that we were related to Bill Rowling but alas not us....
Claire,
Um... just doing the dates on this... if these dates are correct (albeit minor inconsistencies), to have a second wife, Thomas would have to have remarried when he was about 66. (Unless there was a divorce.) Possible, I guess. Does it sound right to you?
Hi,I guess things get confused in the mists of time.
According to my records Thomas Rawling was one of 3 brothers who came to Nelson in the first organised settlement of New Zealand.
He and his brothers were noted to be Stonemasons/Miners as were their forbears.
His wife and 2 children initially stayed behind. The 2 children perished when they followed some months later with their mother nee Pascoe.
On the marriage cert she is noted to be a mine biddy; ie. she broke up the tin ore when it was lifted to the surface.
My understanding is that Thomas married his Daughter-in-law after his wife and son died..
The mists of time.
Hi there
Just doing some research on Rowling's in Nelson. My Grandmother was Ruby Olive Rowling. One of five children. Her father was James. He had brothers called Owen, Arthur and sister Lorna. Uncle Arthur was Wallace (Bill) Rowling's dad. I do have to be careful here. My great grandad James was believed to be illegitimate! Believed to be the son of one of the brothers. Would love to fill in the missing bits. Can anyone help here! Thank you!
James and Arthur's father was John Rowling, 11-May-1858 (Riwaka) - 8-May-1928; mother Ida Creighton. (I have no further info on John's branch of the family.)
John is your grandmother's grandfather. His brother Edward is my grandmother's grandfather.
John and Edward's father was Thomas Rowling, the subject of this post.
My records go backwards via Thomas' mother, all the way back to the Norman conquest, but some of those links are specifically dodgy (some people embiggen their ancestry).
Re: message to 'Marylou'.
I believe I can help you. I have also been in touch with a Hooper, daughter of Maureen Rowling (daughter of James) and a few days after visiting a cousin-in-law in Riwaka, she had a call in from a Monk, son of Eileen (another daughter of James).
James was born to Eliza before she married and the rumour was he was the son of John's brother Thomas Jr. (who was already married). Apparently he stole from John and was sent away ironically living in the similar area as Thomas Rowling Jr. He returned and asked his mother, but she refused to say, kind of the black sheep.
James Ainsley Richardson Rowling (born Creighton aka Crichton) had brothers Nolan (married Mary Eliza Sherman), & Arthur; sisters Edith Irene (my great-grandmother married Edward Maddison), Geraldine and Lorna Doreen (married Harold Suckling).
Your grandmother is the same generation as my grandfather, first cousins to Bill Rowling. The Rowling's, Maddison's and Holyoakes and likely others use to camp in Kaiteriteri together in the early 1900's when my grandfather was a child.
I should have you in my tree as I have Ruby's grandchildren. I'm still working on a very large and well documented family tree.
You can email me on diamondsfamilyarchive@gmail.com
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