Henry Rogers is
almost certainly the Harry Rogers who appears on the 1901 census of England and Wales as a 16 year old stable helper boarding at the home of Mr and Mrs George Chantler at Skippetts Cottage (The Grove),
Basingstoke. Skippetts House was owned by Robert
Campion Blencowe. George Chantler was Robert Blencowe’s coachman and it
seems quite likely that the latter took Harry Rogers with him to Basingstoke.
Henry’s
family lived at Pound House, Chailey. The house was owned by the Blencowe family
and William Rogers, the head of the household, appears on the 1901 census as a 48 year old farm bailiff. With him were his wife Janet Helen (aged 52), and their two daughters: Maud Rogers (aged 18, working as
a room maid) and Edith Rogers (aged 12).
Harry first appears
in Chailey’s parish magazine in the June 1917 edition where he is listed as Driver H Rogers, Royal Field Artillery. It can be reasonably assumed that he was still in England as on the 22nd of that month, The East Sussex News reported his wedding to “Miss Kate King,
only daughter of Mr and Mrs A King of Westland Cottage, North Common. The Rector
(The Rev T H L Jellicoe) officiated.” The newspaper report mentions that
Harry was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs W Rogers of Pound House but I cannot find an older brother (or brothers) noted on
census returns. There was certainly at least one older sister however, Olive
Rogers born about 1879.
In April 1918,
Chailey Parish Magazine reported that Driver H Rogers has been wounded. The following
month it is recorded that he has been invalided. This information then appears
up to and including the final roll call published in July 1919.
Sources and Acknowledgements
- 1881 Census of England and Wales
- 1901 Census of England and Wales
- East Sussex News
- Chailey Parish Magazine
