Scrapbook and family album of Elizabeth Mary Rosseter (nee Skelton) of Iford

<p>For a transcript of part of the diary kept by the Rev Peter de Putron and the Rev R M Rosseter, containing extracts from the parish records and items of day-to-day interest, 1859-1897 see PAR 462/7/5; for an 1895 copy of the marriage certificate of Robert Grafton Rosseter and Elizabeth Mary Skelton, 1847 see ROB 7/5; for an 1851 copy of the baptism certificate of R M Rosseter, 1895 see ROB 7/6; for an 1895 copy of the death certificate of Robert Grafton Rosseter, 1861 see ROB 7/7; for title deeds of Iford Manor, 1650-1890 see ROB 1/1/1-57.</p>

Document given 21 Jul 1965 (ACC 667)

Introduction

Robert Grafton Rosseter (c1822-1861), the only son of James Marmaduke Rosseter of Lambeth, Surrey, esq (1790-1866) and his wife Sarah Chapman (c1786-1877), attended Eaton before he matriculated at Christ Church College, Oxford on 3 June 1840, where he was awarded a BA in 1844 and an MA in 1847. He was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1848 and was curate of Magdalen Laver, Essex, 1858-1860. He died on 18 July 1861 at Iford Manor House, was buried at Iford on 26 July (XA 30/112) and his will was proved on 10 November by his widow Elizabeth, Robert George Linzee of Jermyns, Romsey, Hampshire and Gardner Dillman Engleheart of 1 Eaton Place South, Belgrave Square, Middlesex, when the estate was valued at under £14,000.

His father died at 3 Cleveland Gardens, Hyde Park, Middlesex on 22 September 1866, was buried at Iford on 2 October (XA 30/112) and his will was proved on 15 November by his nephew James Frederick Hutton of Dale Street, Manchester, merchant, William Pilleau of Park Road, Stockwell, Surrey, esq and Joseph Quick the younger of Sumner Street, Southwark, when the estate was valued at under £35,000; his mother died on 27 March 1877 at the Manor House, Iford and her will was proved on 2 May by Elizabeth Mary Rosseter, when the estate was valued at under £3,000.

On 26 August 1847 R G Rosseter, then of St Mary Lambeth, esq, was married at Iford to Elizabeth Mary Skelton (c1822-1891); she was the daughter of John Henry Skelton of St Paul Covent Garden, Middlesex and Elizabeth Hurley, who had married at Iford on 20 March 1821 (PAR 403/1/3/1-2). Elizabeth Mary, then of St Andrew's Lewes, died on 13 February 1898, was buried at Iford on 17 February (XA 30/112) and her will was proved on 10 March by James Hurley Rosseter and the Rev Robert Mamaduke Rosseter, when the estate was valued at £673 17s 10d.

The Rev R G Rosseter and E M Skelton had six children. Their eldest son, James Hurley Rosseter (1849-1915), was born on 24 June 1849 and on 9 December 1875 at Bardwell, Suffolk he married Mary Kate Cooper (c1847- ), the daughter of George Kersey Cooper of Bowbeck House, Bardwell, gent and his wife Catherine. He was a cadet at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1868 and was promoted to Lieutenant in the Royal Artilery in 1871, Captain in 1881, Major in 1886, Lieutenant-Colonel in 1896 and her retired in 1902; James served in India (Campbellpore in the Punjab), 1881-1895, 1900-1901 and at Gibraltar, 1895-1896. He died on 10 April 1915 at 4 Lansdowne Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent and his will was proved on 6 May by his widow Mary Kate Rosseter, when the estate was valued at £2,174 18s 4d.

Their second son, the Rev Robert Marmaduke Rosseter (1851-1915), was born on 15 February 1851 and married Rhoda (c1854- ), the second daughter of Edmund Charles Currey of South Malling Deanery, esq, at South Malling on 19 January 1881 (PAR 419/1/3/2). He served as a Lieutenant in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, 1872-1879. Robert subsequently attended Wells College, 1879, was ordained as deacon (Lincoln) in 1880 and as priest in 1881, and served as curate of St John Spitalgate, Grantham, Lincolnshire, 1880-1882, curate of Horsham, 1882-1886, curate of Aldrington, 1886-1891 (when he also acted as chaplain to the Sheriff of Sussex), rector of Rodmell, 1891-1896, vicar of Apsley End, Hertfordshire, 1896-1904, a licensed preacher within the diocese of Chichester, 1904-1908, curate of Horsham, 1908-1911, vicar of St Andrew Portslade, 1911-1915 and vicar of Ringmer until his death. Robert died at Brighton on 22 October 1915, his will was proved on 29 November by Rhoda Kathleen Grafton Rosseter, spinster and Thomas Stanley Whitfield, esq, when the estate valued at £2,582 19s 6d.

Their youngest son, Henry Donald Rosseter (c1852-1897), was appointed as a Lieutenant in the 1st Royal Lanark Militia in 1871, as a Lieutenant in the 106th Bombay Light Infantry in 1875 and he was promoted to Captain in the 2nd Durham Light Infantry on 2 February 1881 and to Major on 8 October 1890. Henry and was appointed as Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-General for Musketry at Bombay in May 1891 (fo 63r) and Chief Instructor at the Deolali Musketry School, India. He was the inventor of a new dummy target. Henry died at Poona, India on 24 August 1896 and his will was proved on 10 March 1898 by James Hurley Rosseter, when the estate was valued at £3,152 17s.

Elizabeth Grafton Rosseter (c1855- ), their eldest daughter, was born at Marylebone, Middlesex in c1855 and married Henry Elliot Currey, esq, the third son of Edmund Charles Currey of South Malling Deanery, at Iford on 19 August 1886 (PAR 403/1/3/2).

Mary Louisa Chapman Rosseter (c1856- ), who was born at East Woodhay, Hampshire, married Herbert Charles Young (1849- ) of Hurstpierpoint, Lieutenant in the 4th Batallion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, the son of the Rev John Henry Young, at Iford on 8 November 1881 (PAR 403/1/3/2).

Their youngest daughter, Selina Ruth Rosseter (1858-1939), was born at Magdalen Laver, Essex and was buried, she was then of 6 North Street, Lewes, at Iford on 9 June 1939 (XA 30/112).

Sources: Alumni Oxonienses, Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1860 and 1913, National Probate Index, Index to 1881 census returns for Sussex, genealogical notes on the Rosseter family, compiled by P B Rosseter, in the search room library.