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Archer Robert TAWNEY (1818–1893)
His wife Mrs Emma Harriett TAWNEY, née Richards (1828–1915)
St Mary Magdalen section: Row 32, Grave L71

Archer Robert Tawney was born in Dunchurch, Warwickshire on 20 August 1818 and baptised there on 23 August. He was the youngest son of Richard Tawney, a descendant of the Oxford brewing family of that name, and his wife Ellen or Eleanor Edkins. Both his parents died in 1832.

Archer was educated at Rugby School, and on 4 June 1836 at the age of 17 was matriculated at the University of Oxford from Merton College. He obtained his BA in 1841, and became a student of the Inner Temple. In June 1843 he was appointed Cornet of the 1st or Queen’s Own Regiment of Oxfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry vice Henry Tawney.

At the time of the 1851 census Archer (32) was a banker, living alone at Wroxton near Banbury with four servants (a housekeeper, two general servants, and a gardener). On 7 August 1852 he was appointed one of the Deputy Lieutenants of Oxfordshire.

Emma Harriett Richards was born in Queen Square, Bloomsbury on 26 June 1828 and baptised at St George the Martyr Church there on 8 August. She was the daughter of the wine merchant William Parry Richards and Frances Eliza Dennett. At the time of the 1841 census she was living at Newton Cottage, Hampstead with her parents and her older sisters Catherine and Mary, plus three servants. By 1851 her mother was dead, and Emma (22) was living at 28 Park Crescent, Marylebone with her father William Parry Richards (62) and her brother Edward (29), who was a practising barrister, and her sister Catherine (25). They now had seven servants: a lady’s maid, cook, housemaid, under-housemaid, kitchenmaid, butler, and footman.

On 2 April 1853 at Marylebone, London, Archer Robert Tawney married Emma Harriett Richards. The announcement in both The Times and in the Standard on 5 April 1853 read:

On the 2d inst., at Trinity Church, St. Marylebone, by the Rev. Henry W. P. Richards, brother of the bride, Archer Robert Tawney, Esq., of Wroxton, near Banbury, Oxfordshire, to Emma Harriett, the youngest daughter of William Parry Richards, Esq., of 28, Park-crescent, Portland-place.

Archer brought his wife back to Wroxton in Oxfordshire, where they had the following children:

• Eleanor Mary Tawney (born at Wroxton on 23 March 1856, and baptised there on 25 June; birth announced in the Morning Post and the Caledonian Mercury)
• Mabel Emma Tawney (born at Wroxton in 1858 and baptised there on 21 April)
• Edward Plowden Archer Tawney (born at Wroxton on 8 January 1861 and baptised there on 2 February; birth announced in the Morning Post)
• Lawrence Archer Tawney (born at Wroxton in 1862 and baptised there on 19 November)
• Ethel Catherine Tawney (born at Wroxton in 1864/5 and baptised there on 20 February 1865)
• Lily Sophia Tawney (born at Wroxton on 26 January 1867 and baptised there on 27 February; birth announced in the Morning Post)
• John Archer Tawney (born at Wroxton in 1868 and baptised there on 15 October).

In May 1854 Archer Tawney was promoted from Cornet to Lieutenant of the Queen’s Own Regiment of Oxfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry.

By the time of the 1861 census Archer, although he was only 42, was already describing himself as a retired banker, and was living at Wroxton with his wife Emma (32) and their first three children Eleanor (4), Mabel (3) and Edward (three months). The family had five servants (a lady’s maid, housemaid, nursemaid, cook, and gardener).

In 1862 Archer Tawney was promoted to Ensign of the 3rd Oxfordshire Rifle Volunteer Corps.

At the time of the 1871 census Archer (52), who now described himself as a Magistrate of the County of Oxford, was paying a visit to the Revd Henry Richards, Vicar of Isleworth, and his family. His wife Emma (42) was at home with six of their children – Eleanor (14), Mabel (13), Lawrence (8), Ethel (6), Lily (4), and John (2) – and six servants. Their eldest son Edward (10) was boarding at Philbert’s House School at Holyport, near Bray, Buckinghamshire.

In October 1872 Archer Tawney was appointed a Justice of the Peace for the County.

At the time of the 1881 census Archer (62), who now described himself simply as a Justice of the Peace, was staying at the Wellington Hotel in Forrabury, Cornwall with his son Edward (20), who was now a Sergeant in the Royal Artillery. His wife Emma (52) was at home in Wroxton with four of her daughters: Eleanor Mary (24), Mabel Emma (23), Ethel Catherine (16), and Lily (14). Their two other sons were away from home: Laurence (20) was a midshipman in the Royal Navy on board the Dido off Natal, and John (12) was at Alvescot House School in Alvescot.

Their youngest son John Archer Tawney, who had been educated at Winchester, was matriculated at the University of Oxford from Brasenose College on 18 January 1887 at the age of 18, gaining his B.A. in 1890.

In the mid-1880s the family moved to Oxford, and at the time of the 1891 census Archer (72) and Emma (62) were both at home at 63 St Giles’s Street (the middle of the three houses demolished to make way for Blackfriars) with five of their children: Eleanor (34), Mabel (33), Edward (30), who was now a Captain in the Royal Artillery; Ethel (26), and John (22), who was an articled law clerk. They had five servants (a cook, lady’s maid, upper housemaid, under housemaid, and kitchenmaid). Lily (24) was visiting her aunt, Miss Mary Richards (65), at 3 St Andrew’s Place, Marylebone on census night and Laurence (30) is hard to find, and was possibly abroad with the Royal Navy.

Their eldest son Edward was married the following year:

• On 2 November 1892 at St Mary Magdalen Church, Oxford, Captain Edward Plowden Archer Tawney (31) married Flora Jane Radcliffe (29) of St Maurice, Plympton, the daughter of Walter Copleston Radcliffe, deceased. They had three children: Archer Edward Tawney (born in Portsmouth 1894/5), Robert Lionel Archer (born in Plymouth in 1896), and Esther Frances Tawney (born in Darjeeling in c.1898).

Archer Robert Tawney died in 1893:

† Archer Robert Tawney died at 63 St Giles’s Street at the age of 75 on 27 February 1893 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 2 March (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

His death notice in Jackson’s Oxford Journal read simply: “Feb. 27, at 63, St. Giles’s, Oxford, Archer Robert Tawney, J.P., D.L. for Oxon, late of Wroxton, Banbury, aged 74.” His effects came to £18,007 6s. 6d.

At the time of the 1901 census Mrs Emma Tawney (72) was still living at 63 St Giles’s Street with four of her children: Eleanor (44), Mabel (43), John (32, a bank clerk), and Lily (34). Her three grandchildren were also living with her; (Archer) Edward (6), Robert (4), and Esther (2). Edward (40) was probably serving in India; Lawrence (38) was a Royal Navy Commander on board HMS Urgent at Port Royal, Jamaica; and Ethel (36) was a nurse at the Foundling Hospital in Marylebone.

Her eldest son Edward Plowden Archer Tawney, now a Major in the Royal Artillery, died in Allahabad on 12 September 1901. His effects came to £6,819 15s. 9d., and his widow Flora Jane was his executor.

Her two remaining bachelor sons married in the next decade:

• On 15 April 1903 at St Luke’s Church, Manningham, Yorkshire, John Archer Tawney married Cecile Mary Jeffery;
• On 9 October 1906 at St Mary's Church, Chatham, Kent, Lawrence Archer Tawney married Marguerite Baillie Greet.

By 1911 Emma Tawney had moved to 62 Banbury Road and three of her unmarried daughters were living with her: Eleanor (53), Mabel (53), and Lily (44). Her other unmarried daughter Ethel (46) was working as a health visitor for Croydon Corporation, and was boarding at 44 Park Lane, Croydon.

Mrs Tawney died in 1915:

† Mrs Emma Harriett Tawney née Richards died at 62 Banbury Road at the age of 87 on 3 November 1915 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 6 November (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

Her effects came to £15,336 3s. 4d., and her son John was one of her executors.

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Surviving children of Archer Robert and Emma Harriett Tawney

• Eleanor Mary Tawney (born 1858) never married. After her mother’s death she and her sister Lily went to live with her brother John and his family at 14 Northmoor Road. She died there at the age of 73 on 7 May 1930. Her effects came to £22,378 16s. 10d., and her executors were her brother John and sister Lily.
• Mabel Emma Tawney (born 1858) never married. She died at 7 The Circus, Bath at the age of 84 on 18 January 1943. Her effects came to £14,387 6s.1d., and her sisters Lily and Margaret were two of her three executors.
• Lawrence Archer Tawney (born 1862) was a retired Royal Navy Commander aged 48 in 1911, living at Crickleaze, Chard, Somerset with his wife Marguerite (28) and their three children Margaret Emma Tawney (3), Thomas Archer Tawney (2), and Mary Laurence Tawney (nine months), plus their four servants. He died at Ballarat, Highmoor Road, Parkstone, Dorset at the age of 79 on 25 May 1942. His effects came to £10,241 11s. 6d., and his widow Marguerite Baillie Tawney was his executor.
• Ethel Catherine Tawney (born 1864/5) never married. She died at Laleham Abbey, Surrey at the age of 79 in December 1943 and was buried there on 1 January 1945.
• Lily Sophia Tawney (born 1867) never married. After her mother’s death in 1915 she and her sister Eleanor went to live with her brother John and his family at 14 Northmoor Road. She entered the council in 1918, and continued to live at 14 Northmoor Road until at least 1928. By 1932 she was living at 5 Lathbury Road. In 1933 she became the first woman to be chosen as Mayor of Oxford. She moved to 28 Belsyre Court in 1938. She died at the Acland Hospital at the age of 80 on 14 October 1947 and is buried in Wolvercote Cemetery. Her effects came to £22,109 18s, and her niece Margaret Emma Tawney was one of her executors.
• John Archer Tawney (born 1868) was a banker’s clerk aged 42 in 1911, living at 14 Moreton Road in Oxford with his wife Cecile (36) and their two children Katharine Archer Tawney (7) and John Jeffery Tawney (4). He died at that address at the age of 66 on 26 December 1934. His effects came to £22,176 15s. 1d., and his wife Cecile Mary Tawney was his executor.