John Rolls of The Hendre

John Rolls of The Hendre (20 October 1776 – 31 January 1837) was a native of Bermondsey, in Southwark, London, Surrey, England. A member of the renowned Rolls family of The Hendre at Llangattock-Vibon-Avel near Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales, he undertook the first of several expansions of the mansion. The Hendre was also the childhood home of his great-grandson Charles Stewart Rolls, aviation pioneer and co-founder of Rolls-Royce Limited. John Rolls was a Justice of the Peace, as well as a Lieutenant Colonel of the Loyal Southwark Volunteer Infantry. Family John Rolls, son of John Rolls (1735 – 8 September 1801) and his wife Sarah Coysh Rolls (d. 7 September 1801), was born on 20 October 1776 at The Grange in the parish of Bermondsey, borough of Southwark. He was baptized on 17 November 1776 at St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey. His mother Sarah was the second daughter of Thomas Coysh of Camberwell and an heiress. Sarah succeeded her brother Richard Coysh, and eventually was the only remaining heir of the estates of the Coysh, Allen, and James families. Upon Sarah's marriage to John Rolls, she brought a substantial amount of property in Monmouthshire and London. Their son John Rolls inherited the estate upon the deaths of both of his parents in September 1801, his father dying the day after his mother. While John Rolls was the only surviving son, he had at least one older brother, Henry Allen Rolls, who was born on 22 May 1772 and baptized on 18 June 1772 at St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey. On both baptismal records, for John and Henry Allen, their father's occupation was recorded as "cow keeper." Rolls was a justice of the peace. In addition, the London Gazette of 6 September 1803 reported that John Rolls, Esquire had been appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Loyal Southwark Volunteer Infantry. Earlier that year, on 27 January 1803, at St Marylebone, Westminster, London, John Rolls married Martha Barnet, only daughter and heiress of Jacob Barnet. They had five children: John Etherington Welch Rolls, Alexander Rolls, Martha Sarah Rolls Macready, Jessy Rolls Harcourt, and Louisa Elizabeth Rolls Vaughan. John Rolls of The Hendre died on 31 January 1837. His widow Martha Barnet Rolls died on 28 October 1858 at Park Villa, Leckhampton, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.