Gunner William Gardiner Rolfe, 215705 R.F.A.
William was born 8th February 1879 in Hanmer, where he was baptised 11th March.
1881 and 1891 he is with the family at Tart’s Hill.
1901, he is at Gredington working as a gardener.
He married Ellen Myfanwy Thomas 9th September 1906 1911 they are in Hanmer with a 3 year old son Thomas. William is still a gardener.
1939 they are living in Rhyl with a son & daughter. William has been incapacitated for 7 years with pernicious anaemia.
Possible death Jun qtr 1943, St Asaph district. E
Driver Ernest Albert Rolfe281407 R.S.C.
Born 23rd August 1881 Hanmer
1891 Tart’s Hill
1901 Tart’s Hill with family – carpenter
He married Ellen Roberts 6th September 1904 at Bronington.
1911 married living with Ellen & a son Hugh at Fir Cottage, Ellesmere Lane, Penley – working as a carpenter
1939, he & Ellen are living at 78 Dodington, Whitchurch. His occupation is described as Commercial Traveller – Wines & Spirits Observer Corps (Air Ministry)
Possibly died Dec qtr 1945 Whitchurch: I couldn’t find obituary in Whitchurch Herald, but 30/11 edition states that a Mrs Rolphe & family thanked friends etc in their bereavement…. no details unfortunately, except address as 76 Dodington.
Lance Corporal Samuel Gardiner Rolfe, 07535 Army Ordnance Corps
Samuel was born 11th June 1886.
1891 & 1901 at Tart’s Hill with parents & siblings
He married Isabella Johnson Dec qtr 1909
1911 with wife Isabella and sons Robert Gardner & Samuel Gardiner jnr in Horeseman’s Green. Samuel is a Carpenter on the Gredington Estate.
The 1918 Absent Voters’ List gives his address as Little Green, Bronington.
In 1939 he is living at The Cumbers, Hanmer with Isabella and son Ernest G, working as a joiner.
He died June 13th 1942 and is buried in Hanmer churchyard with wife Isabella.
His obituary is in The Herald but is very difficult to read. It states that he died at home at Gredington & that the family served the Gredington Estate for generations, where Samuel eventually became a foreman – as his father & grandfather had done previously (but census info says that his Father was born in Suffolk?).
He was a chorister & Cross Bearer at Hanmer church and also a member of Flintshire Special Constabulary. At the time of his death, one of his sons was serving in the Middle East.
Sergeant Major Thomas Cappur Rolfe
32027 1st Canadians Machine Gun Corps
Thomas was born 2nd August 1887 in Halghton, baptised 28th August at St Chad’s.
1891 & 1901 living at Tart’s Hill with parents & siblings.
He travelled to Canada, aged only 19, in 1906 where he later married Blanch Tulloch.
In 1914 in Quebec , arriving and enlisted as a farmer/Lumberjack.
In the Canada census of 1921, he is living at Indian Head, with Blanche, working as a farmer.
A descendant has informed me that the day he died, he had worked all day & rode home on his bike into a very strong headwind and sadly died after dinner. He was a small, fit man, 5’6”. It is supposed that he had sustained considerable damage to his heart when he was gassed August 19th 1918 at one of the battles.
He died Oct 9th 1952 and is buried in Regina,Saskatchewan, Canada
Private Henry Rolfe, 9257/54602 R.W.F.
Henry was born 8th September 1893.
According to Hanmer school records, he was transferred from Penley school to Hanmer 18th September 1904.
1901 Tart’s Hill with parents & siblings (enumerator has confused ages of children)
1911 Tart’s Hill, aged 18 farm worker
His first marriage was to Elizabeth Ann Leadsom in 1914, children Stanley & Gladys (Gwen), but sadly she died in 1925
He then married Glenys Margaret Snooks in 1930 in Pontypridd. Children of this marriage are Margaret, Marion & Doug. (Glenys was the daughter of Edwin Snooks who later married Henry’s sister Mary)
In 1939 the family are still farming at Tart’s Hill
Henry died 31st October 1978 and is buried in Hanmer with both wives.
Hanmer WW1 