William Rolleston M.H.R. (1831 - 1903)

Born 19 Sep 1831 in Maltby, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Mary (Brittan) Rolleston — married 24 May 1865 in Avonside, Christchurch, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 8 Feb 1903 at age 71 in Kapunatiki, Canterbury, Canterbury, New Zealand

Preceded by 2nd Leader John Bryce Preceded by 5th Minister John Sheehan Preceded by 12th Minister John Bryce Preceded by 1st Minister John Ballance

William Rolleston 3rd Leader of the Opposition of New Zealand Aug 31 1891 - Nov 8 1893 6th Minister of Justice of New Zealand Dec 15 1880 - Apr 13 1881 13th Minister of Native Affairs of New Zealand Feb 4 1881 - Oct 19 1881 2nd Minister of Education of New Zealand Feb 4 1881 - Oct 19 1881

Succeeded by 4th Leader William Russell Succeeded by 7th Minister Thomas Dick Succeeded by 12th Minister John Bryce Succeeded by 3rd Minister Thomas Dick

William Rolleston M.H.R. migrated from England to New Zealand.

Biography

William Rolleston M.H.R. was born in Yorkshire, England.

William Rolleston M.H.R. is Notable.

William was born in 1831. He was the ninth child of Reverend George Rolleston and Ann Nettleship. He was a direct descendant of Sir Michael Stanhope, the Groom of the Stool of King Henry VIII, and 21st in direct line from King Edward I (and thus 28th from William the Conquerer).

He was christened on 12 October 1831 at Maltby Near Rotherham, York, England^[1]. His father was a Clerk of Maltby.

In the UK Census of 1841 William was recorded at Maltby, Yorkshire with his father George (aged 50), six sisters and four servants. He was aged 9.

He was educated at Rossall School and Emmanuel College, where he graduated in 1855 with second class honours in the classical tripos.

William emigrated from England to New Zealand in 1858, and settled near Lake Coleridge.

He married Elizabeth Mary Brittan (the daughter of Joseph Brittan) in 1865 at Avonside, Christchurch. They had four daughters and five sons.

Children registered as born in New Zealand to William and Elizabeth Mary Rolleston ^[2]

1. 1866/14342 Rosamond Mary
2. 1867/17699 Arthur Cecil
3. 1869/29462 Lancelot William
4. 1871/30800 Son, name not registered [George Hector Rolleston 1871-1911]
5. 1873/25510 Francis Joseph
6. 1874/229 Dorothy Josephine
7. 1878/1944 John Christopher
8. 1881/6754 Margaret Florence
9. 1889/9793 Helen Mary

He was a New Zealand politician, public administrator, educationalist and Canterbury, NZ provincial superintendent.

William Rolleston died at his Rangitata farm at Kapunatiki on 8 February 1903 having served as a New Zealand Colonist for 45 years, and is buried at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity (Avonside Anglican Cemetery), Avonside, Christchurch^[3].

A statue was erected in his honour in front of the Canterbury Museum.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J3FB-LX9 : 20 March 2020), William Rolleston, 1831.
2. ↑ New Zealand Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Online search
3. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158148496/william-rolleston), memorial page for William Rolleston (19 Sep 1831–8 Feb 1903), Find a Grave Memorial ID 158148496, citing Avonside Anglican Cemetery, Avonside, Christchurch City, Canterbury, New Zealand ; Maintained by Southern Man (contributor 48043025)

• Wikipedia: William Rolleston
• The Peerage
• NZ BDM Marriage Records Online: Registration No: 1865/7651 | Bride's Given Name(s): Elizabeth Mary | Bride's Family Name: Brittan | Groom's Given Name(s): William | Groom's Family Name: Rolleston | https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/Search
• NZ BDM Death Records Online: Registration No: 1903/1761 | Family Name: Rolleston | Given Name(s): William | Age at Death: 71Y | https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/Search
• Obituary.

Census Records

• "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQPR-WNG : 23 May 2019), William Rolleston in household of George Rolleston, Maltby, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.