Person:Richard Rolfe (11)

Richard Rolfe was baptised on Christmas Day 1831 at Eaton Bray in Bedfordshire, son of a straw plaiter called Charlotte Rolfe, formerly Herbert, and her husband Joseph Rolfe, a straw factor and agricultural labourer. Richard appears to have been one of four children. He appears in the 1841 census living with his parents and siblings on the lane called The Comp in Eaton Bray. By 1851 the family had moved to the neighbouring village of Totternhoe, where they lived on Stordy Lane.^[11]

In December 1853, aged 22, Richard was convicted of assaulting a policeman. He was sentenced to one month's hard labour at Bedford Gaol. His gaol records tell us that he was five feet seven inches tall, with dark hair, grey eyes and a pale complexion, and that he could read imperfectly. He was released in January 1854.

On 15th November 1855, Richard married Mary Ann Kempson at Totternhoe, who was known as Ann. They had five children together between 1856 and 1874, although the first two died young. Both the 1861 and 1871 censuses find Richard and Ann still living on Stordy Lane in Totternhoe. Richard was described as a straw drawer in 1861 and an agricultural labourer in 1871.

The 1881 census finds the family back in Richard's native parish of Eaton Bray, and Richard again working as a straw drawer.

By 1891 the family had moved into the nearby town of Luton, with Richard and Ann 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. He died on 11th February 1900 at 68 Chapel Street in Luton. He was 68 years old.

1. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   ch. 25 Dec 1831, Eaton Bray: Richard / Joseph & Charlotte / Robbins

   Needs to be confirmed at Bedfordshire Archives. Whilst the name is given as Robbins rather than Rolfe, there appears to have been only one couple called Joseph & Charlotte Ro* in this area having children at the time: Joseph Rolfe and Charlotte Herbert, who had married at Eaton Bray in 1827, had a son James baptised there in 1829, daughter Mary Ann baptised at neighbouring Totternhoe in 1834 and son William baptised in nearby Leighton Buzzard in 1838 - all of which children appear in the 1841 census at Eaton Bray, along with Richard. Richard's marriage also confirms that his father's name was Joseph.

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 10; Folio 8; Page 10, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Comp, Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Rolf, male, 40 [1796-1801], Straw Factor, born in county
   Charlotte Rolf, female, 40 [1796-1801], born in county
   James Rolf, male, 10 [1830/1], born in county
   Richard Rolf, male, 8 [1832/3], born in county
   Mary Rolf, female, 6 [1834/5], born in county
   William Rolf, male, 3 [1837/8], born in county
   Coronates[?] Pain[?], male, 20 [1816-21], Straw Cutter, 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 10; Page 12, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Story Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Rolfe, head, married, male, 50 [1800/1], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Hockliff, Bedfordshire
   Charlotte Rolfe, wife, married, female, 50 [1800/1], Straw Plaitter, b. Eddlesbrough, Buckinghamshire
   Richard Rolfe, son, unmarried, male, 19 [1831/2], Straw Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   William Rolfe, son, unmarried, male, 16 [1834/5], Straw Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Mary A. Rolfe, daughter, unmarried, female, 13 [1837/8], Straw Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Ann Reve, lodger, unmarried, female, 16 [1834/5], Straw Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire

4.   Bedfordshire Record Office. Bedfordshire Gaol Register. (Bedford).

   Name: Richard Rolfe
   Record ID: 11571
   Age: 22
   Height: 5 feet 7 inches
   Hair colour: Dark
   Eye colour: Grey
   Complexion: Pale
   Visage: Oval
   Occupation: Labourer
   Education: Read imperfectly
   Born: Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Residence: Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Offence: Assaulting Police
   When committed: 23 Dec 1853
   Sentence: 1 calendar month hard labour or pay 4 pounds 14 shillings
   Gaol: Bedford, New House of Correction
   Discharged: 23 Jan 1854

5. ↑ 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

6. ↑ 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

7. ↑ 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

8. ↑ 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

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

   d. Richard ROLFE, March Quarter 1900, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 335, aged 65 [1834/5]

10. ↑ Luton Times and Advertiser, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 8, 16 Feb 1900.

    DEATHS.
    Feb. 11, at 68, Chapel street, Luton, Richard Rolfe, aged 65 years.

11. ↑ Eaton Bray Parish Website, accessed 11 Dec 2017. Stordy Lane appears to be part of the road now called Wellhead Lane.