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The family lived in Westfield Gate, Hampton Road that formed part of one of the poorer areas of Newbury known as The City. Brice Rawlings was born on November 11th 1883 to Alfred Rawlings and Ellen Rawlings (nee Willis) He was the third of ten children.
By the time Brice was seventeen, he had followed in his father’s trade and had become a Plasterer. It is rumoured in the family that Brice and his father were part of the team that did the plastering for the Sandham Memorial Chapel in Burghclere when it was built after the Great War.
Brice met Mabel Carter who lived in Dothan Place (off Cheap Street, Newbury) and in 1901 their first child, Bertha Matilda, was born out of wedlock. By this time, Brice was still living with his parents at 11 Shrewsbury Terrace in Newbury. The couple eventually tied the knot and married on September 13th, 1902 at the Parish Church in Newbury.
Brice and Mabel had eight children in all:
- Bertha Matilda (1901 - )
- Dorothy Esther (1905 -1991)
- Doris (1907 - 1999)
- Edward Brice (1910-1995)
- William George (1914-1988)
- Ivy Iris May (1916-1990)
- Vera Edith (1920-1924)
- Stanley Clifford (1924-1945)
By the time Dorothy was born, the family had moved to number 2 Rosemary Place in Newbury.
In 1915 (aged 31), whilst living at 3 Bartholomew Place, off Bartholomew Street Newbury, Brice signed up to do Military Service with the Royal Berkshire Regiment. He started service on June 3rd 1916 with the 3rd Royal Berkshire Regiment in the 310th Home Service Works Company. His medical record at this time shows that he stood 5ft. 5 inches tall. On January 18th 1917, he transferred to the 1st Works Company of the Royal Devonshire Regiment, but after the war was returned back to the 310th Home Service works company on March 15th 1919. His military service ended on September 23rd 1919.
The couple moved to 5 Hampton Road and it was here that their seventh child, Vera Edith Rawlings, died of bronchitis at the age of just 3 years and 10 months.
Stanley was born in 1924 and the family moved to 12 Berkeley Road in West Mills, Newbury. Brice remained here for the rest of his days and passed away peacefully at home aged 68, on March 22nd 1942. He was laid to rest in Newtown Road Cemetery in Newbury, but the grave is unmarked.
Sources:Personal Research |
