Capt. Rolleston's tragedy and the burning of Nottingham Castle

Today’s tale from Watnall Hall explores the rises and tragic falls in Capt. Rolleston’s fortunes in the years after the 1817 Pentrich Rising and his role in the burning down of Nottingham Castle.

As he approaches comfortable middle age, life is good. His young son ensures the family line is established, his military career with the South Notts Yeomanry is blossoming and his prosperity is reflected in the full staff of servants employed at Watnall Hall.

However, on 26th March 1826 tragedy hits the Rolleston family as Capt. Rolleston’s only son and heir Lancelot dies aged 14 years. One can only wonder how he must have felt as his wife was then 41 years of age and he would have thought further children were probably out of the question. All they could do was to continue with their lives, which would be for him, a round of army duties, hunting, magisterial tasks, and later on politics. The South Notts Yeomanry and his squadron, the Watnall Troop, were also facing problems.

Disbandment 1828 - The long years of war against France had crippled the nation’s finances, and cuts in the armed forces were deemed necessary. The Yeomanry was the first to suffer and early in the autumn of 1827 it was decided to disband all the Yeomanry regiments which had not been called out in the past ten years. They ordered the disbandment of 24 regiments as from the early part of the following year. This decision was not as unpopular as it might have been because of the Peterloo Incident in Manchester in 1819. The Yeomanry had been blamed for the high casualty figures in that confrontation. Because the South Notts Yeomanry had been so successful in keeping the peace in their region, and built up a reputation that deterred potential rioters, they fell victim to the cuts. They had not been called to action since the riots of 1817 even though their very presence had been of enormous value.

Re-embodiment 1831 - There was further unrest in south and east England in 1830, referred to as the Swing Riots, and the Wiltshire Yeomanry had been in action to keep order. Early in 1831 it became apparent to the Government that it would be necessary to re-raise the disbanded Yeomanry regiments. Robert Peel's new police force only operated in London so the provinces needed to be protected. The officers and men of the disbanded units were still available and merely had to carry on as before, but the government were not generous with funds so the local landowners had to supply arms and equipment from their own pockets. Capt. Rolleston, now aged 46, was promoted to Major and soon after to Colonel.

Political unrest soon exploded onto the streets of Nottingham when Nottingham Castle, home of the anti-Reform Duke of Newcastle, was burned down in the Reform Bill riots of October 1831. Rioters were enraged that the House of Lords had rejected the bill, passed by the House of Commons, to give wider political representation to the lower classes. 

The combined Troops of the South Notts, including the Watnall Troop, were called upon once again, riding through the night in stormy weather from their various Troop centres. Many of the Yeomen supported the Reform Bill and so had sympathy for the motives of the rioters but they still performed their duty. The Yeomanry were operating partly in the city and partly in the surrounding countryside. After burning down a silk mill at Beeston some rioters attacked Wollaton Hall which was defended by Col. Rolleston's future son-in-law and Waterloo veteran Col. Hancox  "Colonel Hancox had garrisoned the Hall with a body of [loyal] colliers, and several pieces of cannon, and the Wollaton Yeomanry were stationed near the entrance. The mob, however, attacked the gate, which was forced open; the Yeomanry immediately charged, and sixteen or seventeen prisoners were taken. The mob then retreated, and the Yeomanry soon afterwards escorted the prisoners to the Barracks, and delivered them to the keeping of the Hussars". 

More rioting following in Nottingham and the South Notts suffered casualties from rocks being thrown at them so they were not in a mood for gentle persuasion. They opened fire with their pistols and some rioters were injured while many more prisoners were taken off to the county gaol (now the Galleries of Justice). An account appeared in the local newspaper :

"A troop of Hussars, with Colonel Rolleston, met the mob on the Nottingham side of Lenton, and the Riot Act was again read. Near the Sir John Borlase Warren [at Canning Circus], the rioters ensconced themselves behind a wall in Chimley's close, which served them as a breast-work; and from thence they threw stones and bricks at the Yeomanry as they approached, and several of them were much cut and bruised. The Yeomanry fired their pistols, but without effect, as the mob, as soon they had thrown, covered themselves behind the wall. This skirmish occupied some time, and soon afterwards the Hussars guarded the prisoners into the town. Whilst crossing the Market-place, the throng pressed upon them, and turning into the Poultry, much abusive language was used, and stones were thrown. The officer who brought up the rear was greatly insulted, and struck by a stone, and finding the mob press upon him, he deliberately returned his sword to the scabbard, drew his pistol from the holster, and fired in the direction of High-street. The ball struck a man named Thomas Auckland*, in the chest, passed out at the shoulder, and then grazed the forehead of Joshua Hopkinson, of Arnold. The prisoners were lodged in the County Gaol, and the consequences of the firing produced a very sensible effect on the conduct of the mob. 

*Auckland was taken to the General Hospital, and after a long confinement, recovered. He had served many years in the 33rd Foot, and was severely wounded at Waterloo."

 There was more trouble at Plumtree and Mansfield but these were subdued by the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. The damage caused by the riots was estimated at 60,000 pounds. The South Notts Yeomanry had mustered 21 officers and 274 men, and had remained on continuous duty for 6 days. The regiment, it seems had been re-embodied just in time. Trouble continued in other parts of the country but Nottinghamshire remained relatively quiet.

The Reform Act was eventually passed and the new parliamentary constituency of South Nottinghamshire was created. Colonel Rolleston was elected as MP In 1837, 1841 and 1847 supporting various bills to help the poor and improve the conditions of factory workers. When his older brother Christopher died in 1840 he inherited the family estate. 

Meanwhile, Col Rolleston's Watnall Troop had been growing and in 1836 there was a Lieutenant J. Rolleston and a Cornet W. Rolleston under his command - his brother John (aged 49) and nephew William (aged 20). The South Notts Yeomanry volunteers were called out to quell Chartist protests once more in 1839, 1842, 1844 and 1848. In that year the strength of the regiment was 397 officers and men.

The 1842 incident was ironically dubbed the Battle of Mapperley Hills by the left-leaning Nottingham Review newspaper as the protestors were mostly well-behaved and non-violent. It's aftermath appears to have been something of an embarrassment to Col Rolleston as he was called to account for his actions when questioned about it later in Parliament. Tensions had been running high in Nottingham after a week of mass labour gatherings and strike calls, Col Rolleston and his fellow local magistrates were getting nervous. On August 23rd a group of several thousand protestors had gathered on the Mapperley plains, had refused to disperse (an offence under the Riot Act) and several hundred were summarily rounded up, arrested and marched to the county gaol by Col Rolleston at the head of a party of the 2nd Dragoons. It could easily have turned into another Peterloo massacre but Col Rolleston's troops were better disciplined than the blue-coated amateur yeomanry at Peterloo and even when stones were thrown at them they kept their cool. About fifty "rioters" were committed for trial and arraigned before Col Rolleston himself at the Quarter Sessions.

All were found guilty and some were sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for six, four or two months and the rest discharged upon agreeing to a fine and to keep the peace. Their fines would have been the equivalent to several weeks wages. The guilty men accused Col Rolleston of being party to an unfair trial and wanting to make an example of them so they took their case to Parliament where it was heard on March 28 1843. Col Rolleston in his other capacity as a local MP was present in the House of Commons chamber when awkward questions were asked about the "conduct of the magistrates" at the Nottingham and other Chartist rallies in the North. Many of his fellow MPs were supportive and reflected the prevailing mood of fear amongst the ruling classes. The Home Secretary Sir James Graham said there was "serious danger of an insurrection of a most formidable character, widely spread, and threatening not only property but life—if this country escaped such danger without much loss of life, without the infliction of serious injury upon property, its escape was mainly attributable to the support which her Majesty's Government received from the magistracy."  The guilty sentences stood but the Chartist-led reform of working class conditions did continue and the Battle of Mapperley Hills was commemorated as a landmark in the Labour movement for many years.

In 1844, Col Rolleston’s wife Caroline died aged 57 years. He did not stay alone for very long for in 1846 he married Eleanor Charlotte Fraser, daughter of Robert Fraser of Torbreck, Inverness, and Lady Anne Fraser. He was then 61 years old, and the bride was aged 25. The following year, 1847, the marriage was blessed by the birth of a son, who was inevitably named Lancelot (this son was to become the Colonel Sir Lancelot Rolleston we know and who is buried in the family plot on the hill behind the Watnall Hall site). Two more sons would follow in quick succession.

The 1851 census shows the 65-year-old Col. Rolleston living at Watnall Hall with his new family in some style with 11 house servants and more outdoor staff. However, the 1861 census shows a much different story. The Hall is leased out and the family are living in a town house in Brighton and on 18th of May 1862 Col. Rolleston dies at the age of 76. His 14-year-old eldest son, who was still a minor, inherited an estate that was mysteriously almost bankrupt. The Rolleston family never held a great deal of land in Watnall, so their income was not large. Furthermore, unlike many Manor owners in the area, they did not own coalmines. Col. Rolleston had recently acquired three sons whose education had to be paid for. The Watnall Troop of Hussars was no doubt expensive to keep up. There would be expenses involved in hunting, becoming an MP which at the time did not come with any salary and being an officer in the Hussars, especially promotion, which in those days had to be paid for. He also had 3 daughters from his first marriage all of whom married twice. Was he expected to provide a dowry each time?

How would the life of 14-year-old Lancelot Rolleston turn out? How could he restore the family finances, move back to Watnall Hall and keep up the Watnall Troop? That will be a story for next time…

Source : Watnall Hall and the Rolleston Family 2000 RA Horton; British Empire website; The Date-Book of Remarkable and Memorable Events Connected with Nottingham and Its Neighbourhood. 1750-1850 by John Frost Sutton; History of the South Notts Yeomanry cavalry by George Fellows https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/History_of_the_South_Notts_Yeomanry_Cava/RKc-AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1