THE MULEY FAMILY: Very little is known of the origins of the Muleys of whom Margaret Zahra was the last known member. Family tradition states that they were descended from a Moorish princess. This is backed up by the etymology of the name Muley, which derives from the Arabic word for "ruler". Moorish rulers sometimes bore the additional name of Muley. Furthermore Margaret Muley's middle name, apparently a traditional name within the family, was the family name of the Prophet's mother. There was also a Cordoban palace in southern Spain called Az Zahra (The Shining one). It was begun by An-Nasir in AD936.

After the expulsion of the Moors from Spain, many moved to Morocco but some strayed to northern Europe and again family tradition states that the family settled in Ireland. Record of them as merchants and artizans in the Dublin area has been attested. There is also a Mr. John Muley who lived in Portugal in the mid-17th century and is described as an English Catholic merchant. He owned a luxurious Kinta (Villa) outside Lisbon and was a personal friend of King John of Portugal.

Father of Albert Muley, does anyone recognise him?
Possibly connected to Boston.

The Muley family of which Zahra was part, emigrated to America in the 19th century and it is believed they initially settled in Boston. At some stage they moved to the southern states. All family documents, pedigrees and other valuables connecting them to Ireland and Spain were lost in 1937 while on transit across America.

ALBERT MULEY, It is believed that Margaret Zahra's father was half French and his father was also half French, possibly American or Canadian French. Albert spoke both French and Spanish and was a keen horse rider and yachtsman. At one time he was part owner of a ranch. Albert died in his forties of a heart attack in a street, possibly in Paris in 1926-7. He is thought to have had a brother who died young in Cape Town, South Africa. Zahra was eight when her father died.

The following image is from a tiny gold locket. It was apparently taken at the ranch and was cut from a larger photograph which included a number of other people.

MARGARET ZAHRA MULEY, known by her middle name Zahra, is thought to have been born 20th June 1918, on board a ship entering port, presumably on the eastern seaboard of the USA. She was the only child of Albert Muley and Anna Karina. Anna died giving birth to her. It is believed that she was raised in one of the southern states, probably Florida. The last time she saw her father was waving to her with his stick from a ship bound for Europe. She was left in the care of a Guardian and Governess.

The photograph on the right was taken when she was about seventeen in Miami Beach in 1936. The scene was possibly taken in the grounds of the Nautilus Hotel where she was staying. A little girl standing by her side was apparently a Duchess. The Nautilus was a grand hotel built in 1924 by Carl Fisher. It was demolished in 1968 to make way for a hospital.

Hotel Nautilus, was built in 1923/4, became a hospital during WW2 and was demolished in 1968.

In 1935/6, Zahra won $1000 in a bet by hitchhiking on her own from Miami to Hollywood in 10 days, a distance of 4000 miles. She settled in Santa Barbara for a while, became an actress and befriended an Indian Chief believed to be called 'Red Wing'. In 1937 she again crossed America, this time by train. On the way she visited the huge Chicago cattle market, which she found unsettling. She arrived at Grand Central Station in New York. She then took ship to England. During her journey across America, a large trunk containing much of her family possessions was lost.

A collection of survive from this time. When studied, they map her journey from Miami to southern California and then from the Santa Barbara area to New York, she had once stated that she had not visited all the places shown.

In England she befriended portrait painter Arnold Mason who acted as her Manager. Her stage name was Zahra Karina. During 1938-9, she was styled as an American socialite and actress. A collection of were taken of her and she appeared in a number of in fashionable and exotic dress. She was also seen to be present at Royal Ascot and the Royal Academy at Burlington House as well as acting in at least two productions. Arnold Mason painted her and the work was exhibited for a while at the National Gallery in London. There is a photograph of both her and Arnold Mason looking at the portrait. She married Bernard Frederick Rawes, son of Prescott Rawes of Oporto, Portugal. They married in Amersham in Buckinghamshire on 26th February 1940. The marriage certificate lists her as aged 22, living in Post Office Flats, High Street, Amersham, her father was Albert Muley, independent. He was not recorded as deceased. The witnesses were D P I Sleigh and R J Read. She does not appear in the 1939 Register. This is not surprising as she was shy of Census enumerators, possibly a family trait. The first Census that I as her son first appeared was in 1981. Previously she had lived in a large block of flats in London.