Person:Mary Kempson (4)

Mary Ann Kempson was baptised on 13th August 1837 at Tilsworth in Bedfordshire, daughter of Mary Kempson, formerly Hemmings, and her husband Joseph Kempson, an agricultural labourer. She appears to have been known as Ann, and was her parents' eldest child. In 1841, Ann was living with her parents and younger brother David in the nearby village of Billington. Ann and her mother seem to have also been recorded on census night with Ann's maternal grandparents back at Tilsworth.

In March 1843, Ann's father was convicted of breaking into a granary and stealing pears. He was sentenced to twelve months' hard labour, which he spent at Bedford Gaol. Shortly after Joseph's conviction, Mary gave birth to another son, George. Later in 1843, Mary died, aged 24, being buried at Stanbridge on Christmas Eve. Joseph would not be released from jail until March 1844. It seems likely that Ann and her younger brothers were looked after by Mary's family, as Ann was still living with her maternal grandmother in the 1851 census. Joseph remarried in 1845, and Ann would have three half-siblings from that marriage. The 1851 census finds Ann and her maternal grandmother living in another nearby village, Totternhoe, whilst Joseph, his second wife Sarah and Ann's brothers and half-siblings were living elsewhere in Totternhoe.

On 15th November 1855, aged 18, Ann was married at Totternhoe to Richard Rolfe, a straw drawer and agricultural labourer who was originally from the neighbouring village of Eaton Bray, but had moved to Totternhoe with his parents as a boy. They had five children together between 1856 and 1874, although the first two died young. Both the 1861 and 1871 censuses find Ann and Richard living on Stordy Lane in Totternhoe. Ann was described as a straw plaiter.

Ann's father died in the nearby town of Luton in 1880. The 1881 census finds Ann, Richard and their children living in Richard's native parish of Eaton Bray.

By 1891 the family had moved into Luton, with Ann and Richard living at 44 Cardigan Street with their son Frederick and his wife and daughter. Frederick was described as the head of the household.

Ann died in 1897, aged 59. Richard outlived her by just under three years.

1. ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. Tilsworth Parish registers, 1549-1979. (Bedford: Bedfordshire Record Office).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Tilsworth in the County of Bedford in the Year 1837
   No. 230
   When Baptized: August 13th
   Child's Christian Name: Mary Ann 1st D[aughte]r of
   Parents Name - Christian: Joseph & Mary
   Parents Name - Surname: Kempson
   Abode: Tilsworth
   Quality, Trade or Profession: Labourer
   By whom the Ceremony was performed: T.L.J. Sunderland, Vicar

2. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 5; Book 22; Folio 5; Page 5, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Great Billington East Side, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Kempston, male, 20 [1816-21], Ag Labourer, born in county
   Mary Kempston, female, 20 [1816-21], born in county
   Mary Ann Kempston, female, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   David Kempston, male, 1 [1839/40], born in county

   Ann also appears to have been recorded with her mother at her grandparent's home in Tilsworth on census night:
   Class HO107; Piece 5; Book 32; Folio 6; Page 6
   Address: Tilsworth, Bedfordshire
   James Emmings, male, 60 [1776-81], Ag[ricultural] lab[ourer], not born in county
   Charlotte Emmings, female, 50 [1786-91], not born in county
   Jane Emmings, female, 18 [1822/3], born in county
   William Emmings, male, 14 [1826/7], born in county
   Phebe Emmings, female, 10 [1830/1], born in county
   Susanna Emmings, female, 7 [1833/4], born in county
   William Emmings, male, 8 months [1840], born in county
   Mary Kempson, female, 21 [1819/20], born in county
   Ann Kempson, female, 3 [1837/8], born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1757; Folio 23; Page 9, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Lower End, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Charlotte Emmens, head, widow, female, 59 [1791/2], Straw Plaiter, b. Brickhill, Buckinghamshire
   Ann Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 13 [1837/8], Straw Plaiter, b. Tilsworth, Bedfordshire

4. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 1010; Folio 6; Page 6, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Stordy Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Richard Rolfe, head, married, male, 28 [1832/3], Straw Drawer, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Ann Rolfe, wife, married, female, 23 [1837/8], Straw Platter, b. Tilsworth, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1566; Folio 42; Page 5, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Stordy Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Richard Rolf, head, married, male, 39 [1831/2], Ag[ricultural] Lab[oure]r, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Ann Rolf, wife, married, female, 32 [1838/9], Plaitter, b. Tilsworth, Bedfordshire
   Lizzey Rolf, daughter, female, 4 [1866/7], Scholar, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Frederick Rolf, son, male, 2 [1868/9], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 1645; Folio 78; Page 8, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Summerleys, Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Richard Roe, head, married, male, 43 [1837/8], Straw Drawer, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Ann Roe, wife, married, female, 43 [1837/8], b. Tilsworth, Bedfordshire
   Lizzie Roe, daughter, female, 15 [1865/6], Scholar, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Fred Roe, son, male, 13 [1867/8], Scholar, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Minnie Roe, daughter, female, 7 [1873/4], Scholar, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire

7. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 1271; Folio 137; Page 31, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 44 Cardigan Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Frederick Rolfe, head, married, male, 23 [1867/8], Straw Hat Manufacturer, employer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Annie Rolfe, wife, married, female, 24 [1866/7], Straw Hat Manufacturer, employed, b. Shefford, Bedfordshire
   Edith M. Rolfe, daughter, female, 1 [1889/90], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Richard Rolfe, father, married, male, 52 [1838/9], Straw Manufacturer, employed, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Ann Rolfe, mother, married, female, 47 [1843/4], Straw Hat Finisher, employed, b. Tilsworth, Bedfordshire
   Lizzie Rolfe, sister, single, female, 24 [1866/7], Straw Hat Machinist, employed, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Edith M. Rolfe, sister, single, female, 16 [1874/5], Straw Hat Machinist, employed, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Annie Janes, servant, single, female, 15 [1875/6], General Servant, employed, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire

8. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Ann ROLFE, June Quarter 1897, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 253, aged 59 [1837/8]