Rowland Dawkins was a Welsh soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons

House of Commons of England

The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...

 at various times between 1654 and 1656. He was a zealous supporter of the Commonwealth.

Dawkins was the son of George Dawkins of Clivrough and his wife Elizabeth Glyn, daughter of William Glyn of Glynonvawr, Carmarthenshire. He became a colonel in the Commonwealth army and was governor of Carmarthen and Tenby in 1650. In 1651 he suppressed a rising at Llanbadarn. He was appointed to the High Court of Justice on on 25 June 1651 and became a Military Commissioner for South Wales on 14 March 1654.

In 1654, Dawkins was elected Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

 for Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Carmarthenshire was a parliamentary constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until its representation was increased to two members for the 1832 general election....

 in the First Protectorate Parliament

First Protectorate Parliament

The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House....

. In 1654 and subsequent years he petitioned for the abatement of the assessment for Cardiganshire. He became an alderman of Swansea in 1655. On 27 November 1655 he was ordered with Jenkin Lloyd

Jenkin Lloyd

Jenkin Lloyd was a Welsh clergyman and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654.Lloyd was the son of John Lloyd of Fairdref Fawr and his wife Margaret Herbert, daughter of Morgan Herbert of Dol-y-cors in Cwmystwith, Cardiganshire. He matriculated at Jesus College, Oxford on 2 December...

, Arthur Owen

Arthur Owen (MP)

Arthur Owen was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1645 and 1678. He fought in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War....

, Sampson Lort

Sampson Lort

Sampson Lort was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1659.Lort was the second son of Henry Lort of Stackpole, Pembrokeshire and his wife Judith White, daughter of Henry White of Henllam, Pembrokeshire...

, James Philipps

James Philipps

James Philipps was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1653 and 1662. He was a supporter of the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War.-Life:...

 and others to examine the petition of the well-affected of Haverfordwest regarding the election of a malignant to office. He was re-elected MP for Carmarthenshire in 1656 for the Second Protectorate Parliament

Second Protectorate Parliament

The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons...

. He commanded the Militia Troops in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire until 13 July 1659. In 1659 he was elected MP for Carmarthen

Carmarthen (UK Parliament constituency)

Carmarthen was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom between 1542 and 1997...

 and Cardigan

Cardigan (UK Parliament constituency)

The Cardigan District of Boroughs was a parliamentary constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors, from 1542 until it was abolished for the 1885 general election...

  for the Third Protectorate Parliament

Third Protectorate Parliament

The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons...

but was unseated for Carmarthen and sat for Cardigan. He was in command of troops at Tenby in 1679.

Dawkins died in 1691 and was buried in the chancel of Penmark church.

Dawkins married Mary Bowen, daughter of George Bowen of Lovegrove, Cardiganshire.