CHARLES ROLFE

He was born c. 1824 in Shalbourne, Wiltshire.  He married Sarah Turner in 1849 (4Q) in Newbury.

His occupation recorded in the 1851 census is Brick Burner: he is aged 26 and his wife Sarah is 33, also born in Shalbourne.  They are living in Shaw Fields, Thatcham.  Mr. Edward Fidler had succeeded his father John Fidler in the Shaw Kilns Brick and Tile Works and he held the lease of Ham Bridge Farm.

For the next 40 years  Charles Rolfe would continue to work for Edward Fidler as his farm bailiff at Ham Bridge Farm until Edward Fidler died in November 1901.

Sarah, his wife, had died on 20 October 1895 at Ham Bridge Farm after a long and painful illness.  He continued to live at Ham Bridge Farm and  his niece, Ellen Hatter – daughter of his sister Harriett and her husband Joseph Hatter – stayed with him as his housekeeper.  The farm was let and all live and dead farming stock, as well as farm implements and machinery, was sold for auction in December 1902.

He died on 21 June 1904, aged 80 years at 2 Oxford Cottages, Oxford Road. He was buried on 24 June in the same plot with his wife Sarah.

Mrs. P. Code  P(E)3,  page 172.

Sources:   Marriage Index 4Q 1849; 1851 to 1901 census; Death Index 2Q 1904; Berkshire Burial Index.

Sources:as above