William Morgan Robbins (1854 - 1922)

Born 12 Nov 1854 in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Morgan) Robbins — married 21 Dec 1876 in Cardiff, Monmouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom

Died 9 Mar 1922 at age 67 in Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States

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Biography

William was born in 1854 at Plucca Lane Cardiff. He was the son of John Robbins and Margaret Nosworthy.

William aged 22, contractor, of 15 Northcote Street, Cardiff, married Mary Morgan, of 9 Marlborough Terrace, Roath, on 21 Dec 1876 at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel Roath Road, Cardiff. Rev Jaber Ingram officiating.

William adopted his wife's maiden surname as his middle name after his marriage.

William Morgan Robbins was a local architect who was influential in shaping the character and development of Ilfracombe in Devon. Robbins appeared in Ilfracombe around 1878. He had a good reputation from the moment he arrived in Ilfracombe and was successful in acquiring lucrative work. He purchased 'Bloody Field' for £2,650 and developed the site into what is now Brookdale Avenue. He was responsible for several Torrs Park villas including Royston, Grangewood, St. Martin's. He was the architect of two hotels; The Royal Clarence along the High Street and Berkeley Hotel along Wilder Road. He had a great skill in his attention to detail; many of his buildings feature iron finials and railings, terracotta panels, and the extensive use of coloured glass in windows. Robbins built a house for himself in Ilfracombe; Brookdale Lodge in Brookdale Avenue was completed in 1881. This building embraced the arts and crafts ideas of the "Vernacular Revival" and has a totally asymmetrical design demonstrating his great flexibility as an architect. North Devon Council Ilfracombe Conservation Area Character Appraisal Pages 35-36 ^{[1] [2]}

In the 1881 Census, William M aged 26, architect was residing at 107 High Street Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, Devon with his wife Mary aged 24, daughter Clarrie M scholar aged 3, son Alfred aged 1, mother Margaret Robbins aged 51, Mary A Baker general servant aged 19 and Eliza Fry nurse servant aged 16.

William M Robbins Head Married M 26 Architect Cardiff, Glamorganshire

Mary Robbins Wife Married F 24 Newport, Monmouthshire

Clarrie M Robbins Daughter F 5 scholar Ilfracombe, Devon

Alfred Robbins Son M 1 Ilfracombe, Devon

Margaret Robbins Mother Married F 51 Ilfracombe, Devon

Mary A Baker Servant F 19 General Servant Swansea, Glamorganshire

Eliza Fry Servant F 16 Nurse Ilfracombe, Devon

William moved his family to London where his youngest child Roland was born in Shepherds Bush in 1885. William left his family in England and arrived in New York City, New York State, USA in 1891 on board "Austria". ^[3]

Mary, his wife passed away in 1895, aged 39.

William drowned in the Hudson River in New York in 1922.

DIES RATHER THAN RENOUNCE BRITAIN. William Morgan Robbins, aged 64, an architect, whose body was recovered Tuesday from the lower bay off Fort Hamilton, died rather than renounce his allegiance to the British Crown, the police of the Missing Persons Bureau were informed yesterday. Robbins, a native of Wales, had lived for a short time at the home of Herbert I. Van Cott, 159 Taylor-street, West New Brighton, Staten Island, and it was Mr. Van Cott who told the police of the dead man's loyalty to Great Britain and the reason for his suicide. Robbins, he said, once was a prosperous architect, but years of adversity finally forced him three years ago to take a position as a clerk at the City Farm Colony on Staten Island. Early this year he was discharged when he refused to file a petition for American citizenship, a step necessary to retain his place. It was found a short time later he had pawned his last set of architectural tools and that on last Saturday he pledged his overcoat for a loan. Mr. Van Cott identified the man's body after it had been found in the bay. The New York Herald Thu 09 Mar 1922 page 8

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.northdevon.gov.uk/media/316980/ilfracombe-appraisal-low-res.pdf
2. ↑ https://www.visitilfracombe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Town-Trail-3.pdf
3. ↑ New York Passenger Lists & Arrivals Film Number 001027610 NARA Roll Number 564 NARA publication Number M237

• Birth England & Wales First Name: William Last Name: ROBBINS Birth Year: 1854 Birth Quarter: 4 Mother's Maiden Name: NOSWORTHY District: Cardiff County: Glamorganshire Country: Wales Vol: 11A Page: 211
• Marriages England & Wales Groom First Name: William Groom Last Name: ROBBINS Marriage Qtr: 4 Marriage Year: 1876 Bride First Name: Mary Bride Last Name: MORGAN District: Cardiff County: Glamorganshire Country: Wales Volume: 11A Page: 419