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"Stories and Genealogy from RON BRAND."

So to the area of mutual interest to us both. As I make some progress in my genealogy searches I have found that my mother's family were well rooted in the Tilty area.
Although I have yet to be sure I have pencilled in William Rolph's first I can claim. Son Jesse Rolph, was Christened there on 19th.January 1755. and married Mary Moore on December 17th.1776. Next I have another Jesse Rolph, born in 1778, but no date yet. His death I have established as 23rd.February 1857. He married an Ann who was born in 1792 but I have no other information about her - till her death on 3rd.September 1845.
All those happenings seem to have occurred while they were living in Duton Hill.
Next in line is Charles Rolph, born in 1821 married to Ann Bridges born some distance away (well 15 or 20 miles!) in 1835 on June 11th. 1854. Having Jesse and Ann followed by another Jesse and Ann complicates the search.
My grandfather William (Sonny) Rolph was born on July 6th. 1854 and he married Eliza Parkin from Thaxted on February 10th.1876, in Gt.Easton Church. Eliza died December 8th.1913 and William (Sonny) June 6th.1943 both are buried in the churchyard there. My mother, one of 11 children, was born on 22nd.March 1886, married in Gt.Easton Church 5th.October 1910, and died 21st.June 1982.
All my forebears were Agricultural Labourers as were 85%+ of the entire population of Great Britain at that time though Grandfather William (Sonny) was able to record himself as 'Horse Keeper' which probably placed him slightly above the bottom rank!
As I have told you I knew Grandfather William (Sonny) quite well as he came to visit us during the 30's and as well as making visits with my parents I stayed with him at times during the summers in a little cottage, one of two, immediately behind the 'Three Horseshoes' Public House in Duton Hill. That cottage had one room and a kitchen downstairs and two bedroms above. There was no plumbing and water was obtained from a handpump in the front of the Three Horseshoes. As far as I know the well never ran dry. Sanitation was very primitive and best related to 'The Specialist'. The cottage had disappeared completely when I made my first post war visit in 1951 or thereabouts. It would certainly not have passed any standards established during the War. At the other end of the one street village - or perhaps hamlet is a better word, Great Aunt Charlotte lived in a cottage adjacent to a farm, and with a duck pond between her and the farmhouse and buildings though I cannot recall many ducks but remember the horses being led into the water to drink and perhaps cool off. In the middle of the houses there was a 'Mom and Pop' type shop supplying most of what was needed for life and a Post Office for contact with the wide world. Almost opposite the shop Great Aunt Sarah lived on the first floor of what was, as I recall a more substantial house; with her companion Miss Chapman - never known by anything more familiar! Sarah Rolph never married but is described on census data as a Self-employed seamstress so would count as being at least one rung up the ladder - perhaps even two. Charlotte is remembered for being completely deaf - offering an ear-trumpet to those who wished to speak. She was a very unsophisticated soul who would not believe aircraft flew above the clouds as they were too high. What would she have made of Space Travel? Her family consisted of sons Jack, Percy and Frederick who was a hunch-back cripple with a fierce temper, but best remembered for his prowess with a sling shot projecting steel ball bearings which were the end of many rabbits at harvest time that found there way into the pot or pie. I was allowed to search for the spent balls which had to be recovered for the next shot. There were two daughters Edith and Daisy.
Sadly WWII which disrupted our lives from 1939 till at least 1945 - and in many cases longer (I was in the Army from August 1942 until June 1947) resulted in family links becoming slack and after the war, although my mother and later sister maintained some contact with cousins etc. sadly I have knowledge of only one at this time.
I think this establishes my 'cast list' and I will send it now, and follow with more narrative from my memories which I am slowly dragging to the fore as soon as I can concentrate on the past rather than the future.
Regards and best wishes. We are promised very cold weather from Tuesday this week with snow in the North. and maybe even as far South as ourselves. Hope you are faring better Stanley ( Ron) ROLPH
Hello Evelyn, I will try to answer the various queries you have put, and first 'Photo's' I will send you one of myself before too long but just at the moment for some reason I do not understand I cannot access many that I have stored in the computer - and most of our 'stocks' have already been bundled up ready for the dreaded move. Son-in-law Keith is our most enthusiastic photographer and I will ask him to send some of his across so that I can get one to you. I did think to send a snapshot of Grandfather William and myself taken in about the early 1930's but that is really only for family eyes!
I can lead into Military service from here and say that William did not serve, but somewhere I have a studio portrait of one of his brothers taken in uniform in Nova Scotia at the time it was still garrisoned from the U.K. Unfortunately I cannot recognise the Regiment as only his collar badges are visible and without a lot more info. I cannot ask Army records to look for him. I don't think it was the Essex Regiment. He came back and took a job as Carman with very well known Carters in London but during the first week fell off his vehicle and was crushed to death beneath the wheels. In the 'genealogy' folders there is a postcard with William and three sons taken during WWI and a snapshot of Walter the youngest of the family as a groundcrew man with the Royal Flying Corps - forerunner of the Royal Air Force. Again I do not know enough to go for his details. All a bit irritating!
You friends Dad's memory is spot on with the shop-keeper in Duton Hill he was indeed Mr.Mann and I think Herbert, but I have no recollection of his son. The Three Horseshoes is still there, but must have been re-built recently as in the "Essex Villages" site I found a note thanking the Inn Keeper and his wife for allowing the Christmas Party of the Residents Association there, with a disc-jockey. There would have been no room for such in the Pub I knew with just two rooms and a single counter to collect drinks. The Landlord at that time and still in the 1950's was Frank Smith. It was very much the social centre for the males I knew and the other Inn - the Maypole I think - was never talked about - I wondered why but didn't feel I dare ask as a mere child. I remember the excitement when the Electricity was coming and the Three Horseshoes was due to be among the first buildings connected. I also remember words of wisdom from one of mother's cousins - "Never mix the grape and the grain" uttered I think after someone had been inebriated unwisely!
More to come! .

| INDEX HOME |Story Part 1 - June 3, 2003--From Los Angeles to Moor End Farm. |
| Story Part 2-Walk to the CHURCH. | Moor End Farm Photos|Broxted Church Photos |
| Story Pt.2 continues to Great Easton.| Great Dunmow and The BELL
|The BARKERS.| TILTY|CHICKNEY CHURCH | THE GALLERY | Colchester| Old Photos|
|Fat lady's version-Pt. 1|
|Fat Lady's version - Pt. 2| Fat Lady's version - Pt. 3| Fat Lady's version - Pt. 4|
| Fat lady's version Pt. 5| Fat Lady's version - Pt. 6| Version 7| Version 8|
|Fat Lady's - Part 9|Part 10 by Fat Lady|Rain storm-Pt. 11 by the Fat Lady|