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Ann Rolfe

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Ann Rolfe (c1789–1850) was an English author and poet.[1]

Early life

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She was born Ann Button about 1789, either in Surrey or possibly Suffolk.[1] Not much is known for certain about her early life.[a]

Author

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Her poems were first published by subscription in 1824 as 'Miscellaneous Poems for a Winter's Evening'.[2][3] In the preface she notes that some poems were from "a very early period of life." The others were much later and written for her two sons. One of her poems is about South Green Cottage, which is in Essex, and another is about Wanstead House, which is now in the London Borough of Redbridge but formerly in Essex. She also thanks her friends in Essex who subscribed to publish the work. Many poems are personal, such as the poem 'A Lady's Distress on her Son's going to India' about her son leaving for India and another is 'Addressed to my two Children at the Tomb of their Father, in 1822'.

She went on to write two novels with settings in East Anglia: 'Choice and No Choice' (1825)[4] and 'The Will; or, Twenty-one Years' (1828).[5][6]

In the 1830s she contributed poetry to The Ladies' Pocket Magazine[7][8] and Time's telescope.[9] Other poems included 'Stanzas on the Tomb Stone in Ditton Church Yard', 'Old Friends', 'On the Anniversary of the Death of Sidney Waller Plumb' (1834),[10] 'On the death of John Thomas Sutton, Esq. only son of Lady Sutton, of Ham Common, Surrey, who died Sept. 12th, 1835, aged 22 years', 'Lines to M.G.P. at Madras in the East Indies' (1835). Her poems were also published in local newspapers. Her poem 'Lines, on receiving the Bury Post' was published in 1839, giving her address as Selby House Farm.[11] In 1842 she published 'Our friends who are gone',[12] and in 1843 'My dead son'.[13] She also contributed longer pieces, such as 'Roderick, or the Magic Tower, a Tale of Former Times' (1832).[14]

SPRING

The loveliness of leaves and flowers,
The roseate tints of Flora's bowers,
Where the young butterfly reposes,
Or sports, and frisks away, 'midst roses,
Its short liv'd hour.

The balm and sweets of landscapes fair,
The symphonies that fill the air,
The earth that teems with future stores,
The merry hills and genial shores,
Without a care.

The sunny skies where seraphs meet,
Where Jove himself hath fixed his seat,
Above, below, in space profound,
Through all creations's mystic round,
Divine, complete.

All, all resume their wonted powers,
Their garlands fair—their fertile showers,
Their jubilees—their songs of love,
Their festive scenes in wood and grove,
And myrtle bowers.

They shout with joy—with joy to see
Their own bright mirthful harmony,
Their paradise of blooms and hues,
Their fairy seats of flowers and dews,
Fresh, gay, and free.

Up Spring, 'tis thou, voluptuous queen,
That brings the zephyr—decks the green,
That gives a radiance to the skies,
A glory dazzling to the eyes,
And joys serene.

'Tis thou that bid'st the streamlets flow,
Where nectared sweets and blossoms grow,
With holiest feelings shed'st around
A fragrance pure,—for love hath crown'd
Thy youthful brow.

Up Spring, for 'tis thy silvery wand
Stretch'd far and wide o'er sea and land,
That rules the golden orb of day,
Who, midst his myriads, speeds his way,
At thy command.

The vanquished storms all gone to rest,
The young buds playing on thy vest,
The thrilling strains so soft, so sweet,
With each delicious joy we meet,
Soothe ev'ry breast.

Up Spring and hear thy praises sung,
And well may'st thou with heart and tongue,
In concert join—thou ne'er canst fade
Whether in sunshine or in shade,
Thou still art young,

Short is thy visit—but thy bloom
Sheds not its glory for the tomb;
Sister of all the cherubims
That raise their anthems and their hymns
Beyond earth's gloom.

We hail thee then a seraph here,
Sent forth man's feeling heart to cheer,
Who, unlike thee, must soon decay,
And midst his pleasures pass away
To darkness drear.

Ye fair that boast a youthful grace,
Excelling charms of form and face,
Enjoy what heaven hath made sublime,
For dark, insidious, withering time,
Steals on apace.

Grieve not at trifles, for like spring,
Both smiles and tears are on the wing,
And happy they whose wisdom, sense,
Look for that noble recompense
That virtues bring.

She published in 1847 'The Oath of Allegiance: A tale of the times of Philip the second', described as "the best historical romance that has been published in a long time. The style is terse and vigorous, but eloquent and pleasing; and the characters are drawn with graphic accuracy."[15]

Personal life

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Selby House

In 1810 she married Philip Plumb (c1737–1817), a schoolmaster in Bury St Edmunds.[1] He died 30 April 1817 in Bury St Edmunds.[16][17]

They had two sons.

- Sydney Waller Plumb born 10 July 1813, baptised 28 July at St Mary's Church, Bury St Edmunds.[18] He died 18 February 1831 in Kingston upon Thames.[19]

- Montague Grosvenor Plumb, (1812–1875)[20] was recorded as marrying in Madras, India, in 1833 to Miss Cox.[21][22][23]

She married for a second time Edward Rolfe (c 1789, Saxham, Suffolk) of the Cock Inn, Clare on 24 February 1818 in St Mary's Church, Bury St Edmunds.[24][25] They moved to Selby House, Ham Common, about 1835. In 1841 they were running the Ham Street School with both boys and girls as pupils.[26][27]

She died 4 August 1850 at Selby House[28] and was buried at All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames, on 12 August.[29] The obituary records that "she left a husband and son with numerous friends and pupils to lament her loss."

In 1851 Edward was still running a girls school at Selby House with 11 pupils, 1 teacher and 1 servant.[30]

Books

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1824. Miscellaneous Poems for a Winter's Evening, Colchester: J Chaplin

1825. Choice and No Choice, or the First of May. London: T H Cock. 2 vol.

1828. The Will; or, Twenty-one Years, 1 vol. Saxmundham (Printed and sold by L Brightly)

1847. The Oath of Allegiance: A Tale of the Times of Philip the Second.  2 vol.  London: Saunders and Otley

References

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  1. ^ a b c Bassett, Troy J. (31 December 2024). "Author: Ann Rolfe (1789–1850)". At the Circulating Library: A Database of Victorian Fiction, 1837—1901. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  2. ^ "Multiple Classified ads". Bury and Norwich Post. 5 November 1823 – via British Library Newspapers. In press and shortly will be published by subscription Miscellaneous Poems for a Winter's Evening
  3. ^ "Multiple Classified ads". Bury and Norwich Post. 28 January 1824 – via British Library Newspapers.
  4. ^ "Choice or No Choice". Bury and Norwich Post. 4 May 1825 – via British Library Newspapers.
  5. ^ "Multiple Classified ads". Morning Post. 22 March 1830. p. 1 – via British Library Newspapers.
  6. ^ "Rolfe, Ann. The Will; or, Twenty-One Years. In one volume. By Mrs. Ann Rolfe, author of "Miscellaneous Poems for a Winter's Evening;" "Choice and No Choice."". The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 9394. 2019.
  7. ^ Rolfe, Ann (1830). "A Poem for December". The Ladies' Pocket Magazine: 219 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Rolfe, Ann (1835). "Man's First Thought". The Ladies' Pocket Magazine: 187–190 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ Rolfe, Ann (1834). Millard, John (ed.). "To the New Year". Time's Telescope; or, A Complete Guide to the Almanack: 1 – via Google.
  10. ^ Rolfe, Ann (1834). "Spring". The Ladies' pocket magazine: 149–151 – via Google.
  11. ^ Rolfe, Ann (27 February 1839). "LINES". Bury and Norwich Post – via British Library Newspapers.
  12. ^ Rolfe, Ann (26 January 1842). "Our friends who are gone". Bury and Norwich Post – via British Library Newspapers.
  13. ^ Rolfe, Ann (1 March 1843). "My dead son". Bury and Norwich Post – via British Library Newspapers.
  14. ^ Potter, Franz J. (2005). The History of Gothic Publishing, 1800-1835. Exhuming the Trade. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 186.
  15. ^ "Mrs Rolfe's New Work". Morning Chronicle. No. 1801. 6 January 1848 – via British Library Newspapers.
  16. ^ "Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries". Bury and Norwich Post. 7 May 1817 – via British Library Newspapers.
  17. ^ "Original Will of Philip Plumb of Bury St Edmunds". Suffolk County Council. 1817.
  18. ^ Sydney Waller Plumb, Ancestry FHL film 951459
  19. ^ "Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries". Bury and Norwich Post. 23 February 1831 – via British Library Newspapers. at Kingston, Surrey, Master Sidney Waller Plumb, a medical student, youngest son of the late Mr Philip Plumb, schoolmaster, of this town. He was a young man of excellent parts, and only in his 18th year.
  20. ^ Montague Grover Plumb 1812 Bury St Edmunds, St Mary, Suffolk, Suffolk Baptism Index 1538-1911 Findmypast
  21. ^ "Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries". Bury and Norwich Post. 19 August 1835 – via British Library Newspapers. On the 4th of December, 1833, at Madras, in the East Indies, Mr M G Plumb, youngest son (now living) of the late Mr Philip Plumb, schoolmaster, of this town, to Miss Cox, daughter of Mr Cox, late an eminent goldsmith, of the former place.
  22. ^ "Montague Grosvenior Plumbe". Family Search. Name Montague Grosvenior Plumbe, Spouse's Name Mary Elizabeth Cox, Event Type Marriage, Event Date 4 Dec 1833, Event Place Presidency of Fort St George, India
  23. ^ "Montague Grosvenor Plumbe, 1875". "India, Deaths and Burials, 1719-1948", FamilySearch. Name Montague Grosvenor Plumbe, Sex Male, Age 61, Birth Year (Estimated) 1814, Death Date 4 May 1875, Event Type Burial, Event Date 5 May 1875, Event Place Madras, India, Event Place (Original) Bangalore, Madras, India
  24. ^ Ancestry.com. England, Select Marriages, 1538-1973 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. FHL Film Number: 0951464-0951465
  25. ^ "Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries". Bury and Norwich Post. 25 February 1818 – via British Library Newspapers. Same day Mr Edw. Rolfe, late of the Cock Inn, Clare, to Mrs Plumb, widow of Mr Philip Plumb, of this town.
  26. ^ 1841 Census, Ancestry, Ham, Kingston, Piece 1075, Book 6, Folio 18, page 28
  27. ^ Pritchard, Evelyn (1991). A portrait of Ham in Early Victorian times 1840-1860. pp. 46–47.
  28. ^ "Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries". Bury and Norwich Post. 21 August 1850 – via British Library Newspapers. On the 4th instant, at Selby House, Ham, near Richmond, Surrey, aged 61, Mrs Ann Rolfe, the author, She left a husband and son with numerous friends and pupils to lament her loss.
  29. ^ Ann Rolfe, All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames, in Surrey, England, C of E Burials 1813-1997, Ancestry
  30. ^ Ancestry, 1851 Census, Ham with Hatch, Parish St Andrews, Piece 1603, Folio 460, page 17

Notes

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  1. ^ She was 61 when she died in 1850 and on the 1841 Census her county of birth is shown as Surrey. However she has connections to both Suffolk and Essex.
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