Mr Alexander Robins 1 was born 1 July 1861 in St Austell, Cornwall, England.
He was the son of Samuel Robins (1835-1897), a copper miner, and his wife Grace 2 (1836-1895). Both his parents also hailed from St Austell and were married there around 1860. He had four known siblings: Charles (b. 1868), Samuel (b. 1870), William (b. 1872) and Ellen Jane (b. 1876).
On the 1861 census, just months before Alexander's birth, his parents were listed living at Nursling (?) Downs in St Austell. When he appears on the 1871 census he and his family were living in Brixham, Devon but later returned to St Austell, appearing there on the 1881 census.
Alexander, who worked as a stonemason, was married in late 1880 to Charity Lawry (b. 1865), also of St Austell. Their first child, Alice Ann, was born early the following year and the couple were living with Alexander's parents in St Austell by the time of the 1881 census.
The couple would have nine children in total, only two living past infancy. Their firstborn, Alice, died in 1883 and their two surviving children were Beatrice Annie (b. 1886) and Alexander (b. 1890).
The couple later left British shores around 1886, and settled in Yonkers, New York where they would appear on census records from 1900 through to 1910 although it seems they made several trips back to England. Alexander continued to work as a stonemason whilst in Yonkers.
Alexander and Charity returned to Cornwall for a family visit in early 1912, staying with friends in Mount Charles, and were returning to the USA, travelling third class on the Titanic under ticket number 3337 which had cost them £14, 10s. Also travelling with them his wife's cousin William Henry Nancarrow. It was reported that when Mr Robins learned that he was to travel back to America aboard Titanic that he became troubled by this, having an objection to going aboard a maiden voyage.
Alexander Robins, along with his wife, was lost in the sinking. His body was subsequently recovered by the MacKay Bennett along with that of his wife.
NO. 119. - MALE. - ESTIMATED AGE, 50. - HAIR AND MOUSTACHE, DARK.
CLOTHING - Black overcoat; grey trousers and vest; blue vest; black boots.
EFFECTS - One gold watch, chain and seal; one gold watch, chain and locket; one silver watch; works of one Waltham watch; three knives; two pipes; one cigarette holder; cigar ditto; keys; gold ring marked "R"; hair comb; two pocket diaries; papers; Intl. Mercantile Marine Co. cheques $2500; £41 in gold; 37s. 6d. in purse.
THIRD CLASS.
NAME - A. ROBINS. (Mrs Robins, No. 7)
The remains were taken to his daughter who was living at 24 Garfield Street, Yonkers. He and his wife were interred at Oakland Cemetery, Yonkers.
His daughter Beatrice, known as Annie, was married to Patrick Curtin of Pennsylvania and remained in Yonkers where she raised a family. She died in Yonkers in 1965.
His son Alexander had been married on 7 January 1912 in Yonkers to Julia Lee (b. 1890), a native of Ireland, raising a family and remaining in Yonkers where he worked as a steam fitter. He died in 1966.
Michael A. Findlay, USA
Comment and discuss
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Good evening, folks. For the last year or so, I have been doing part time research on Third Class passengers Alexander and Charity Robins, of Yonkers, lost with the Titanic. I've found some interesting stuff (like that their bodies were eventually returned to a daughter who lived in my former neighborhood) but have never found a picture of them, or of their relative, W.H. Nancarrow, who was also lost. Does anyone out there know if one was ever published either here or in England? I'm also pondering why a couple with so much cash on hand would choose to travel Third Class (check out their enties on the recovered bodies listing) when Second (or even First) was easily within their reach.....but that's the sort of question which remains unanswerable, in most cases. Thanks, in advance, for any tips on the photographs you might send my way.
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Hi James, I was glad to read that you've been researching Alexander and Charity Robins. I began researching them back in the 1980s, and have accumulated a large pile of "stuff." If you have access to the Yonkers Herald-Statesman on microfilm, April 17, 1912, you will find photos of both Alexander and Charity. The newspaper continued to run their photos almost every day. Alexander was a round-faced man with short hair and a slight moustache. Charity was an attractive older woman who was smiling in the photo. The Yonkers newspaper published a photo of their funeral procession in Yonkers in May of 1912. I visited their grave several years ago at the Oakland Cemetery in Yonkers. There is a stone marking their final resting place, along with a faded inscription that they were lost together on the Titanic. I sent this photo to Phil Hind to be included on the ET so you should be seeing it soon. The couple's daughter, Annie Robins Curtin, is buried beside them, along with...
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Mr. Findlay: Thanks for the answer, and for the information. I am familiar with the Robins' gravesite (my family plot is in Oakland) and with their former home on Garfield Street, but never made it to the Herald Statesman microfilm as (and I know this sounds stupid) I get sidetracked by other obsessive interests every time I set out to do that and end up studying something else. I've avoided contacting the descendents because, frankly, I'm an armchair researcher when it comes to the Titanic and have no intention of publishing anything on the topic SO my talking with family members would seem (to me) to be morbid prying at worst and intrusive at best. I haven't any idea what the family's feelings concerning the tragedy are, but since they maintained silence during the whole Titanic mania a few years back I have a pretty good hunch that they value their privacy. So, thanks again for answering, and the next time I'm in Yonkers (or White Plains, which I believe is where Gannett has...
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Gentlemen, I was very pleased to find your discussion about Alexander and Charity Robins. They were my great-grandparents. While I have little information to contribute, I may be able to gather additional information from relatives living in New York. Additionally, my mother, Frances M. (Robins) Burke has a few bits of information. I will visit her tomorrow and contribute any bits I might gather there. What I have been told in the past by my mother and her sisters: My great-grandfather was Alexander T, not Alexander A. Can either of you tell me how the Yonkers newspaper listed his name, and what appears on the tombstone? My great-grandmother wanted to return to the United States aboard the Olympic (or the Olympia, I am unsure) but Alexander wanted the prestige and safety of traveling aboard the Titanic. He obviously won that argument! My aunts tell me that Alexander and Charity were bringing most of their household possessions back to the United States, and that...
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Hello A few years ago, I went to Oakland Cemetery and I was not able to locate the grave site. I will be returning this week and would love any guidance anyone could provide with locating this plot. I would also love any information that anyone has been able to acquire over the years. Thank you!
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Yes this tread is of Jim Kalafus, he is on facebook. You can writte him. And the other poster is Michael Findlay but i have no idea how to contaced him. I know that he had photos of the Robins and some articles about them from year 1912. But i wasnt able to contaced him, its very sad because know one has the photos of them. Maybe you...
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I have found this. Do you have seen it before? I hope it will help you. :) Tell me something.
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Thank you Gianni and Sergio! I was able to locate their grave with a little help from the bits of information I was able to obtain about the surrounding graves from this website. So thank you Encyclopedia Titanica Community! I also spent some time in the local library and I was able to find quite a few articles about them, as well as photographs that were published in the local paper. Can anyone explain (or send me a link to) the process/policy of adding information to their profiles. Thank you!
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Sorry for coming in late on this thread- I'm only here sporadically now. Did you get the chance to see the residence on Garfield Street? If you turn left out of the main gates, and drive up the hill, it is perhaps two minutes south of the cemetery. When, if ever, you return to Yonkers, check out the May 1915 newspapers. There was a spate of articles about Mr and Mrs Robins, and the estate's case against the White Star Line, concurrent to the Lusitania coverage May 1-15.
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Hi, my name is Grahame ROBINS Naudé and I live in South Africa. Having found Alex's name on the internet, I am trying to find out who his grandfather was to see if he may fit into my Robins tree. So far no luck. Can you help?? Cheers, Grahame
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