Priscilla Rolfe

She was baptised on 23 November 1823 at Ramsden Bellhouse, Essex.  Her parents were James and Sarah Murray.

On 1 October 1849 she married Joseph Rolfe, a Dealer,  at St. Nicolas Church, Newbury.   A year later Joseph was sent to Reading Gaol for 6 months for assault. From the 1851 census she was working as a Tailoress staying at the Mayors Alms Beerhouse, Back Lane.  Also in residence were an uncle,  Richard Rolfe (aged 55), a Bargeman from Aldermaston; another uncle, James Rolfe (aged 53), a Bricklayer, also from Aldermaston; and Grace Gabbett (aged 12), a niece from Ramsden.

For the next 50 years she supported her husband in his business of fruiterer, fishmonger and game dealer at 108 Bartholomew Street and continued to run it after her husband’s death as a greengrocers.

In 1897, at the age of 72,  she was elected to take over the vacancy at 2 St. Mary’s Almshouses, Cheap Street, where she died in January 1907, aged 82 years.  She was buried on 12 January.

No Mrs. P.

Sources:  Essex Baptism Index 1538-1920;  Marriage Index 4Q 1849; 1851 to 1901 census; Death Index 1Q 1907; Berkshire Burial Index.

Sources:as above