Roulstone family

The 1861 census shows John aged 17 working as a footman at Bilborough Hall for Magistrate, James Thomas Edge. Sometime during the 1860s he became employed by Lord and Lady wharncliffe; he remained with the Wharncliffe family for the rest of his life. While working at the London residence he met and married Mary Jane Harris. Their first two children were born in London but they moved to the Wharncliffe's Yorkshire estate at Wortley around 1875. The 1871 census lists John amongst the visitors' servants at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire. The Wharncliffes were at the castle as visitors of the Duke of Rutland. By 1881 John was Butler and in 1901 described as House Steward (domestic). After John's death in 1908, Mary stayed in Wortley until at least 1911. She and unmarried daughter Mabel later moved to Grindleford in Derbyshire. Not long after her mother's death, Mabel had a stroke, aged only 42. She then went to live with her sister, Florence.

Roulstone family group
The Roulstone family taken in front of the butler's cottage in the grounds of Wortley Hall where John worked for the Earl and Countess of Wharncliffe.

The girl in the checked dress, centre, is Vida with Mabel sitting next to her. John and Mary are either side of Florence at the back. Mary E J is on John's right. It is not known who the bearded man on the right is or the young lady on the left although it is possible that she may be Mary Jane's half sister, Sarah Giles. Sarah was with the family in the 1881 census, listed as 'boarder'.

From Vida and Mabel's ages it is estimated that the photograph was taken about 1889/1890. The older girls' hairstyles also support this - Mary has her hair up while Florence's hair is loose. By the time a young lady was 17 she would be expected to have her hair pinned up.

The 1891 census shows sons John and Victor still living at home so why they weren't included in this picture is a mystery. Incidentally, Mary and John junior were known as May and Jack, probably to avoid confusion with their parents.