John Joseph Rawlings
Founder of the Rawlplug Co
1860 Born in Putney[1] son of John and Sarah Rawlings
1881 A whitesmith living with his parents in Putney[2]
1901 A civil and mechanical engineer, employer, living in Roehampton with Millicent Rawlings 30[3]
1911 Employer in the electric, motor and building industries, living in Wandsworth, with John Millicent Rawlings 41, Kathleen Millicent Rawlings 9, Ralph John Rawlings 6[4]
c.1917? John Joseph Rawlings, a building contractor, solved a fixing problem at the British Museum by inventing the fibre plug - known as the Rawlplug - into which screws were driven. The basic principle in the design was grip by expansion.
1942 'Kensington Inventor's Estate. — The will of Mr. John Joseph Rawlings, the inventor of "Rawlplugs," who died August 4, at his home, "Cromer," Home Park-road, Wimbledon, aged 82. has been proved at £51,381 (net personalty £28,538).'[5]