Peter Rolt (1798 – 3 September 1882) was a

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businessman and

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politician. The son of John David Rolt of and his wife Sophia ''née'' Butt, he was born in

Deptford Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a Ford (crossing), ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century to the late 19th it was home ...

. Both of his grandfathers held senior positions in the town's

Royal Dockyard Royal Navy Dockyards (more usually termed Royal Dockyards) were state-owned harbour facilities where ships of the Royal Navy were built, based, repaired and refitted. Until the mid-19th century the Royal Dockyards were the largest industrial ...

. He entered business as a timber merchant and contractor. In 1820 he married Mary Brockelbank, daughter of Thomas Brockelbank, the managing director of the

General Steam Navigation Company The General Steam Navigation Company (GSN), incorporated in 1824, was London's foremost short sea shipping line for almost 150 years. It was the oldest shipping company in the world to begin business with seagoing steam vessels. Foundation ...

, and formed a shipping company, Brockelbank & Rolt, in partnership with his father in law. In

1852 Events January–March * January 14 – President Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte proclaims a new constitution for the French Second Republic. * January 15 – Nine men representing various Jewish charitable organizations come tog ...

Rolt was chosen by the

to contest the parliamentary constituency of

Greenwich Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...

. The two-seat constituency, which included Rolt's home town of Deptford was held by two

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

members of parliament. Rolt topped the poll and was elected to the

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along with

Montague Chambers Montague Chambers QC (November 1799 – 18 September 1885) was an English lawyer and Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1852 and 1874. Chambers was the son of George Chambers, son of the architect S ...

of the Liberals. In 1857 Rolt took over C.J. Mare and Company, an engineering and shipbuilding company owned by his son in law,

Charles John Mare Charles John Mare (1815 – 8 February 1898) was a British Conservative politician, and shipbuilder. Family In 1844, Mare married Mary ńee Rolt, daughter of Conservative MP for Greenwich (1852–1857) Peter Rolt, and they had at least two sons ...

, who had become insolvent. He formed the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd of which he became chairman. He resigned from parliament by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Hempholme. Rolt devoted himself to his shipping and shipbuilding interests. He was an associate of fellow director, Lord Alan Spencer-Churchill in a number of ventures.

London Evening Standard The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format. In October 2009, after be ...

, London, England: 24 Jun 1871, ''BRINDISI MAIL ROUTE to INDIA, CHINA, AUSTRALIA'' - A WEEKLY EXPRESS, via Ostend or Calais, Brussels, Cologne, Munich, and Verona (Messrs Rolt & Co.) listing Peter Rolt, Lord Alan Spencer-Churchill and Joseph Churchward (of Dover) He was Master of the

Worshipful Company of Drapers The Worshipful Company of Drapers is one of the 110 livery companies of the City of London. It has the formal name The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Dr ...

and was created a count in the

Nobility of Italy The nobility of Italy ( Italian: ''Nobiltà italiana'') comprised individuals and their families of the Italian Peninsula, and the islands linked with it, recognized by the sovereigns of the Italian city-states since the Middle Ages, and by the ...

in 1871. He died at his home ''Trafalgar House'' in London's

Regent's Park Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies of high ground in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the Borough of Camden (and historically betwee ...

in 1882 aged 83.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rolt, Peter 1798 births 1882 deaths Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1852–1857 People from Deptford 19th-century English businesspeople