Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Rawle, Richard
RAWLE, RICHARD (1812–1889), divine, born at Plymouth, 27 Feb. 1812, was a son of Francis Rawle (1778–1854), an attorney at Liskeard, who, on abandoning practice, settled at Plymouth; his mother, Amelia (Millett), died 6 Oct. 1814. Richard was educated at Plymouth new grammar school, and on 7 Feb. 1831 was admitted pensioner of Trinity College, Cambridge, under the tutorship of Dr. Whewell. On 19 April 1833 he obtained a scholarship at his college, and in 1835 he graduated B.A., being third wrangler and fourth classic. He was elected minor fellow of Trinity College, 3 Oct. 1836, and major fellow 3 July 1838, in which year he proceeded M.A. and became sub-lector tertius; he acted as assistant-tutor from 1836 to 1839. In 1839 he was ordained both deacon and priest, and accepted the rectory of Cheadle in Staffordshire. From 1847, when he resigned Cheadle, to 1864, he was principal of Codrington College at Barbados, and about 1859 he declined the offer of the bishopric of Antigua.
In 1864 Rawle returned to England, and, after refusing the offer of an honorary canonry in Ely Cathedral, and acting as vicar of Tamworth from 1869 to 1872, was on 29 June 1872 consecrated in Lichfield Cathedral as bishop of Trinidad, where he worked with great energy until 1888. He then resigned the see, but reaccepted the post of principal and professor of divinity at Codrington College, Barbados. He died at Codrington College on 10 May 1889, and was buried next day in the college burial-ground.
Rawle married at Cheadle parish church, on 14 Jan. 1851, Susan Anne Blagg, daughter of John Michael Blagg, of Rosehill in that parish. She died at Bournemouth on 1 March 1888, and was buried in Cheadle churchyard on 5 March. Rawle was the last male representative of the family of Rawle owning the barton-house of Hennett and other property in the parish of St. Juliot, on the north coast of Cornwall, and his generosity raised the income of the benefice, restored the church, and built new schools.
[Parochial Hist. of Cornwall, ii. 283–5; Boase and Courtney's Bibl. Cornub. ii. 550; Boase's Collectanea Cornub. pp. 786, 1819; information from Dr. W. Aldis Wright, Trinity College.]