John Rawson Walker 1795-6ish -- 1873

[Annie65115]

John Rawson Walker was a Regency/Victorian landscape artist. I'm trying (and failing!) to find out his family background and failing. In particular I'm trying to pin down where the Rawson part of his name comes from. It's fair to assume its a family name as his children all had it too. But I can't find any baptism for him.

Can anyone help?

Facts as far as I can tell:
b Nottingham around 1795-6ish

Shown on the electoral registers in Nottingham in the 1820s

Married Elizabeth Hoare in Derby in 1829  (though a marriage licence is listed as being in the Staffordshire collection on FindMyPast - I don't have a FindMyPast sub atm)

Children, all with surname Walker:
Albert b 1830 London
Isabel Rawson and Florence Rawson both b 1831 Derby;
Bernard Hoare Rawson bap 1834 Derby;
Herman Rawson b 1835 Leamington Spa (died 1837);
Blanche Anne Rawson 1837 Warwickshire
Dora Rawson b 1838 Leamington.

Lived in London in the 1840s-50s then back to the west midlands.

I've found most of the above family members in most of the censuses and the only extra clue is in 1861 when Isabell was staying with her uncle and aunt, Thomas and Mary Ann Knight in Nottingham. Thomas Knight m Mary Ann Walker in St Mary, Nottingham in 1827 so Mary Ann was probably John Rawson Walker's sister. Her dob across the censuses was 1791 - 1796 and pob St Mary's, Nottingham.

My Nottingham FHS disc has no Mary Ann Walker baptisms at St Mary's in the relevant timescale and no John Rawson Walker baptisms anywhere at all. The only Walker-Rawson marriage prior to this gives no baptisms to that couple at all.

Can anyone find anything else or make any more suggestions?

muchas gracias

[groom]

The marriage was 21 Jul 1829, but no more information, so not much help. It's only a transcription not an image.

[..claire..]

Hi

The Licence doesn't really give any information that you don't already know. That he was a landscape painter of Kensington, Middlesex and was 21 years and upwards. The marriage entry may hold a clue. One of the witnesses was a Walker. A William ? ? Walker

I've included a snip, because I'm not sure of that middle name, possibly Rea or Ray

Claire

[solidrock]

John Walker  m  Rowenah RAWSON. 20 Feb 1781, St Peter, Nottingham.  Licence.

They had a son John Walker b 14 Dec 1794, Baptised 10 MAR 1795. castle gate meeting independent, nottingham.

[trish1120]

Burial
ROWENA Walker, 17 Feb 1837, Castle Gate Meeting, Nottingham
Age 75, Widow of JOHN
Burial person abode, Bottle Lane
(FreeREG)

Trish

[trish1120]

They had a earlier John who must have died;
JOHN, 8 June 1783 to John/Bewener or Rowener(2 records) (Saint Mary Gate Independant)
WILLIAM 11 March 1793 to John/Rowena (Castle Gate Independant)
+ JOHN 1795 as mentioned by solidrock

Only ones I can find on Familysearch.Org

1781 Marriage is on FreeREG, John of St Peter Parish and Rowenah of St Nicholas

[Annie65115]

Thanks everyone so far!

I'd seen that marriage but no baptisms for the couple. Of course this is a possibility but I'm unhappy at the ide of accepting them as JRWs parents without a bit mor evidence (eg a Mary Ann? Maybe a William? - as per the marriage licence).

Hm. Let's see if I can find out any more about Rowena, that's an unusual name.

EDA - sorry Trish, I see they did have a William as well - Now we need a Mary Ann ---

[peter56]

I've spent some years attempting to discover why my Gant family called themselves Roper Gant for over mor ethan 60 years.  For example there are 3 William Roper Gants. 

In the course of trying to unravel this mystery I stumbled across "Rawson Walker" living in the same house as my ancestors in 1851 - 26 Orchard Street, London.  That's the lower part of Baker Street just as it reaches Oxford Street.  Having some interest in British Victorian art, I googled the name... and realise you're trying to find why your ancestor added Rawson to their name!

I can add details from the census if you like, but it's easy enough to find on Ancestry.co.uk - albeit he's dropped John from his name.