FollowHistory of Kinsalebeg
Rochs of Woodbine Hill
Introduction
Woodbine Hill is located in the townland of Prospect Hall in the parish of Kinsalebeg in West Waterford. Historically this would have been considered part of the nine hundred acre townland of Monatray. The Walshs of Pilltown were the landowners of Monatray and most of the rest of Kinsalebeg from around 1600 until around 1720. The Bernards of Bandon became the owners of Monatray incorporating Prospect Hall and Woodbine Hill from 1720 until 1825. The Smyths of Headborough & Monatray took over ownership of the land in this area from the Bernards in 1825 and continued as the main landlords until the end of the 19th century. The history of the area for the three hundred years from 1600 onwards is therefore intrinsically linked to the three families of Walsh, Bernard and Smyth. The history of these three families is covered elsewhere and we will not cover them in detail here but it is important to note that many of the land leases and deeds of transfer during the period were sub-leases whereby the ultimate landowner may have been a member of one of the above families and might not even be mentioned in the deed.
The Roch family connection with Woodbine Hill commenced in the late 18th century and has remained in the family to current generations. The spelling of the surname has generally been Roche in historical records and it is in more recent history that the abbreviated spelling of Roch is more regularly used. We start the Roch of Woodbine Hill overview with details of the descendants of James “The Swimmer” Roch who was born in 1657 and continue forward to Colonel Horace Sampson Roch who died in 1960. We include extended details of some Roch family members in this period including James “The Swimmer” Roch (Soldier), Regina Maria Dalton (Writer), Sampson Towgood Roch (Miniature painter), George Butler Roch, Deputy Surgeon-General Roch (Medicine) and Colonel Horace Sampson Roch (Medicine). The second part of the overview gives brief details of the ancestors of the Roch family from around the time of the Battle of Hastings in 1066 – this history preceded Woodbine Hill. To hopefully avoid confusion where the same names appear in adjacent generations we will use suffixes such as James 1st Roch to distinguish those with the same first name.
Descendants of James 1st “The Swimmer” Roch
Descendant Tree of James 1st “The Swimmer” Roch:
..... 1 Colonel James 1st The Swimmer Roch (1657 - 1722) b: 29 Sep 1657 in Kinsale, Co Cork, d: 22 Dec 1722 in Dungarvan, Co Waterford
..... + Susan (Elizabeth) Gough
........... 2 William Roch (1695 - 1723) b: Abt. 1695 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford, d: 29 Jul 1723 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford
................. 3 James 3rd Roch (1722 - 1723) b: Abt. Nov 1722 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford, d: 30 Jul 1723
........... 2 Mary Roch (1694 - ) b: 10 Oct 1694
........... + Benjamin Greene b: Kilmanahan family, m: 17 Nov 1709
..... + Elizabeth Hamerton ( - 1731) m: 20 Jul 1700, d: 01 Mar 1731
........... 2 James 2nd Roch (1702 - 1741) b: Abt. 1702 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford, d: 28 Jan 1741 in Dungarvan, Co Waterford
........... + Anna Maria Hamerton ( - 1725) d: 09 Jul 1725
................. 3 James 4th Roch (1722–1792) b: Abt. 1722 in Glin Castle, Waterford, d: 02 Dec 1792 in Woodbine Hill Co Waterford
................. + Isabella Odell b: Carriglea, Co Waterford,
m: 21 Oct 1747 in Woodbine Hill ?, Waterford
....................... 4 James 5th Roch (1750 - ) b: Abt. 1750 in Woodbine Hill ?
....................... + Wife James Roch
............................. 5 Melian Roch (1775 - ) b: Abt. 1775 in Woodbine Hill ? Waterford
............................. 5 Isabella Roch (1774 - ) b: Abt. 1774 in Woodbine Hill ? Waterford
....................... 4 Melian Roch (1757 - 1837) b: Abt. 1757 in Woodbine Hill ? Waterford,
d: 21 Sep 1837
....................... + Sampson Towgood Roch (1759 - 1847) b: Abt. 1759 in Lehard, Cork, m: 29 May 1787 in Youghal, Co Cork, d: 20 Feb 1847 in Woodbine Hill Waterford
....................... 4 John Roch (1752 - ) b: Abt. 1752 in Woodbine Hill ? Waterford
....................... 4 Boy6 Roch (1756 - ) b: Abt. 1756 in Odell Lodge Waterford
....................... 4 Luke Roch (1752 - ) b: Abt. 1752 in Odell Lodge Waterford
................. + Mary Cotter (1745 - 1825) b: Abt. 1745 in Cullenagh, Co Cork, m: 1781,
d: 12 May 1825 in Woodbine Hill Co Waterford, m: Abt. 1766
....................... 4 George Butler Roch (1784 - 1859) b: 23 May 1784 in Woodbine Hill
d: Abt. Jun 1859
....................... + Jane Wilkinson (1798 - 1870) b: Abt. 1798, m: 23 Oct 1813,
d: 07 Jan 1870 in Woodbine Hill Co Waterford
............................. 5 Melian Roch (1816 - 1891) b: 08 Apr 1816 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford, d: 01 Nov 1891
............................. + Henry Downes Sheppard (1810 - 1883) b: 24 Jan 1810, m: 01 Jan 1842, d: 25 Feb 1883
............................. 5 George Roch (1819 - ) b: 15 Apr 1819 in Woodbine Hill Waterford
............................. + Harriet St Leger Purcell (1825 - 1911) b: Abt. 1825, m: 18 Jul 1874, d: Abt. May 1911
............................. 5 James 6th Roch (1822 - 1859) b: 12 Sep 1822 in Woodbine Hill Co Waterford, d: 1859
............................. + Mary Jane Melen (1827 - ) b: Abt. 1827 in Chalford, Gloucestershire, England, m: 24 Feb 1851
............................. 5 Mary Roch (1825 - 1892) b: Abt. 1825 in Woodbine Hill Co Waterford, d: 19 Jan 1892 in Woodbine Hill Co Waterford
............................. 5 Sampson "Deputy Surgeon-General" Roch (1829 - 1906)
b: 29 Jun 1829 in Woodbine Hill Waterford, d: 09 Nov 1906
............................. + Agnes Brown (1848 - 1922) b: Abt. 1848, m: 21 Oct 1869 in St John The Evangelist, Notting Hill, London, d: 02 Apr 1922
................................... 6 George Butler Roch (1871 - 1905) b: 02 Aug 1871 in Chukrata, Bengal, India, d: 30 Mar 1905 in Totland Bay, Isle of Wight
................................... 6 Henry Leslie Roch (1873 - 1936) b: 18 Mar 1873 in Bengal, India, d: 16 Mar 1936
................................... 6 Horace Sampson "Colonel" Roch (1876 - 1960) b: 13 Aug 1876 in Kilkenny, Ireland, d: 23 May 1960
................................... + Emily Helena Crone (1909 - 1989) b: Abt. 1909 in Kinsalebeg or Templemichael, Co Waterford, m: 17 Nov 1931,
d: 18 Mar 1989 in Woodbine Hill Co Waterford
................................... + Marjorie Power (1900 - 1919) b: Abt. 1900 in Cliff House Ardmore, m: 15 Feb 1919, d: 09 May 1919
............................. 5 Sarah Roch (1830 - ) b: Abt. 1830
............................. 5 Jane Roch (1833 - 1905) b: Abt. 1833 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford, d: 22 Oct 1905
............................. + Henry Peard b: Carrigeen Hall near Tallow Co Waterford,
m: 30 Jun 1849 in Kinsalebeg Church Co Waterford
............................. 5 Selina Roch (1835 - 1892) b: Abt. 1835 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford, d: 23 Jan 1892 in Woodbine Hill
............................. + John Sheppard (1815 -1888) b: Abt 1815, m: Abt. 1855
........... + Melian Holmes Pomeroy (1711 - 1755) b: Abt. 1711 in Kilmallock, Co Limerick, m: 03 Mar 1731, d: 28 Jan 1755
................. 3 Melian Roch (1732 - ) b: Abt. 1732 in Glynn Castle, Waterford
................. + Colonel Beverly Ussher b: Canty, Co Waterford
....................... 4 John Ussher (1751 - 1809) b: Abt. 1751, d: Abt. 1809
....................... 4 Melian Ussher
....................... + George Boate b: Duckspool, Co Waterford
................. 3 William Roch (1732 - ) b: Abt. 1732 in Lehard, Co Cork, d: Lehard, Cork
................. + Mary Lane (1740 - ) b: Abt. 1740 in Tipperary
....................... 4 Sampson Towgood Roch (1759 - 1847) b: Abt. 1759 in Lehard, Cork, d: 20 Feb 1847 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford
....................... + Melian Roch (1757 - 1837) b: Abt. 1757 in Woodbine Hill ?, Co Waterford, m: 29 May 1787 in Youghal, Co Cork, d: 21 Sep 1837
....................... 4 Luke Roch (1760 - ) b: Abt. 1760 in Lehard, Cork
....................... 4 William Roch (1763 - ) b: Abt. 1763 in Lehard, Cork
....................... 4 Ambrose Roch (1764 - 1829) b: Abt. 1764 in Lehard, Cork, d: Abt. 1829
....................... + Regina Maria Dalton (1769 - 1845) b: 05 Aug 1769 in Waterford, m: 1792 in Rathkyran, Mooncoin, Co Kilkenny, d: 18 Mar 1845 in Mall, Waterford
....................... 4 Elizabeth Roch (1765 - ) b: Abt. 1765 in Lehard, Cork
....................... + Mr Thomas
....................... + Mr Wogan
....................... 4 Johanna Roch (1766 - ) b: Abt. 1766 in Lehard, Cork
....................... 4 Audriah Roch (1767 - ) b: Abt. 1767 in Lehard, Cork
................. 3 Luke Roch (1734 - 1781) b: Abt. 1734 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir
d: 1781
................. + Elizabeth Waring
................. 3 Audriah Roch (1739 - 1819) b: Abt. 1739 in Woodbine Hill ?, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford, d: 26 Feb 1819 in Youghal, Co Cork (Woodbine Hill ?)
................. + Edward Matthew Jones m: May 1757
....................... 4 Melian Jones (1763 - 1835) b: Abt. 1763, d: 25 Feb 1835
....................... + Samuel Hayman (1752 - 1834) b: Abt. 1752 in South Abbey, Youghal,
m: 16 Nov 1782, d: 20 Mar 1834
............................. 5 Matthew Hayman (1791 - ) b: Abt. 1791 in South Abbey, Youghal.
............................. + Helen Hill ( - 1850) m: Abt. 1818, d: Abt. 1850
................................... 6 Elizabeth Hayman ( - 1841) d: 03 Feb 1841
................................... 6 Melian Jones Hayman (1822 - 1902) b: Abt. 1822, d: 12 Feb 1902
................................... + Alexander Durdin m: Aft. 1851 in Huntington Castle, Carlow
....................... 4 Maria Jones ( - 1791) d: 31 Oct 1791
....................... 4 Susannah Jones
Note: The above Roch genealogy is derived from a number of sources but mainly Burke’s Landed Gentry19 records. These sources are generally reliable but the information is not always possible to verify. References to Roch family members in Woodbine Hill before 1782 are incorrect. It is generally accepted that the Roch family first moved into the old Woodbine Hill house after the marriage of James Roch and Mary Walsh nee Cotter in 1782.
Note: Roch(e) coat of arms sometimes includes an osprey with clasped roach in its claws as shown in later image.
James 1st “The Swimmer” Roch (1659-1722)
James 1st “The Swimmer” Roch was the only son of George 1st Roch of Glynn and was born in 1657 at Kinsale and died in Glynn Castle on 12th December 1722. He became a Protestant Williamite supporter due to the harsh treatment the Roch family had received from the Stuart royal family of King Charles I and later King Charles II. It might be useful to give some background to the situation that existed preceding and following the birth of James 1st Roch in 1657. George 1st Roch of Glynn, father of James, was one of five sons of Theobold & Ellen Roch. At the outbreak of the 1641 rebellion the Roch brothers were responsible for the following estates according to Burke’s Dictionary of Landed Gentry19: Glynn (George & Ulick Roch), Tourin (John Roch) and the Cork Estates (David Roch). The fifth son Maurice had supported Sir James FitzGerald of Strancally in the 1641 rebellion and was killed during the conflict. The other four brothers were present at the various conflicts in Dungarvan, Cappoquin, Knockmoane, Mothill and Lismore in support of King Charles I. This incurred the wrath of Cromwell and the English Parliament who were in this period in rebellion against King Charles I.
The Roch family lost the greater part of their Irish estates through confiscation after the 1641 rebellion as of course did many other landowners who found themselves on the opposite side to Cromwell and the Parliamentarians in the conflict. George and John Roch were the only brothers of the five to survive the rebellion and withdrew to Flanders in exile after the rebellion where King Charles II was also in exile at the time. King Charles I had been beheaded in 1649 and was succeeded by his son King Charles II who was not allowed take up the role of king by the English Parliament. England was effectively a republic in the period from 1649 to 1658 when the country was run by Cromwell and the parliament. The defeat of the royalists under Charles II at the Battle of Worcester on 3rd September 1651 heralded the end of royal rule. Charles II escaped on horseback with the heroic aid of Jane Lane and they made their way under disguise to Bristol. Charles II then travelled to Brighton where he took passage to Fécamp north of Le Havre on the brig Surprise. Jane Lane was later to marry Sir Clement Fisher who was coincidentally an ancestor of the Fishers of Pilltown Mills. On his restoration to the throne in 1660, after nine years in exile, Charles II purchased the brig Sunrise and renamed it HMY Royal Escape after which it became the royal yacht. Lady Jane Fisher nee Lane received a pension of a thousand pounds a year for her bravery in aiding the escape of Charles II. However the Roch family were not so fortunate in their dealings with Charles II.
It is believed that the two Roch brothers who survived the rebellion, namely George and John Roch, along with their kinsman Maurice Lord Roch of Fermoy, had shared their military pay with King Charles II when he was exiled in Flanders as he was in poor circumstances. The details are recorded as follows by Burke in his 1854 publication20:
Cromwell died in 1658 and King Charles II was reinstated as King of England in 1660. Apparently Charles II overlooked the earlier generosity of the Roch family and others when he was restored to the throne in 1660 and did nothing to help the exiled Roch brothers. George Roch died in exile in 1658 as a result of battle wounds and his only son, the infant James 1st “The Swimmer” Roch, now came under the care of George’s brother John Roch. John Roch was at this point the only remaining survivor of the five Roch sons of Theobold Roch & Ellen FitzGerald.
The restoration of the King Charles II in 1660 gave those who had fought in support of Charles II and his father Charles I great hope that the land and properties which had been confiscated from them would be restored. Charles II, as it transpired, showed little concern for those that had helped and supported him in England and Ireland and the Catholics in particular received little in the form of recompense or restoration of confiscated lands. This was in stark contrast to the treatment given to some of those who fought on the Parliamentary side against the Royalists of King Charles I. Aside from Cromwell two of the most powerful and despised figures in Ireland during the 1641 rebellion were Roger Boyle in Munster (Lord Broghill) and Charles Coote in Ulster who had been key figures in support of the Cromwell led parliamentary forces. When Charles II was restored to the monarchy in 1660 both Boyle and Coote saw the writing on the wall and promptly declared for the monarchy in stark contrast to their earlier support of Cromwell. Broghill was made Earl of Ossory and Coote became Earl of Mountrath and both were made Lord Justices which must have been the ultimate insult to those like the Roch family who supported the monarchy in Ireland during the rebellion.
Charles II died in 1685 and was succeeded by his Catholic brother James II. During James’s reign he was increasingly opposed by members of Britain’s political and religious elite who felt he was too pro-French and too pro-Catholic. When he produced a Catholic heir the tension exploded and leading nobles called on William III of Orange to invade England from the Netherlands. William III was in fact a son-in-law of King James II as he was married to Mary II, daughter of King James, but family loyalty did not seem to enter the equation. James II fled to France and thus became the third monarch in succession to run into problems in the workplace. William became King William III and ruled jointly with his wife Mary II from 1689. The above event gives some background to events which resulted in James 1st Roch supporting King William and the Williamites during the 1689-1691 Williamite-Jacobite Wars in Ireland. He was invited by representatives of James II to support him and the Jacobites in the rebellion but James Roch had of course memories of the poor treatment his family had received from the House of Stuart in preceding decades and instead declared his support for King William III aka William of Orange aka King Billy.
Siege of Derry and James Roch:
James Roch was a colonel in the Williamite forces of General Kirke that arrived in Derry in 1689 to relieve the siege of the city by Catholic Jacobite forces. The Derry relief fleet arrived in Lough Foyle in mid June 1689 only to find a strong boom stretched across the harbour mouth to Derry thus preventing further progress into the city. General Kirke was at a severe disadvantage due to his inability or unwillingness to progress by sail or to make any communication with the governor of the besieged city to establish its position. Kirke was not a brave or inspiring leader according to Burke13 (“But Kirke, who possessed in scant degree the spirit of a British soldier ...”). He considered retreating much to the consternation of his soldiers but eventually offered a reward of 3000 guineas to the soldier who would carry despatches through the defences to the Governor of Derry. There were no takers for the reward until Colonel James Roch volunteered to swim to the city and carry despatches from Kirke for the Derry city governor. Roch informed Kirke that he was not interested in any reward and the incident is recorded as follows in Burkes13 1854 description:
On the 25th June 1689 James Roch passed through enemy lines to the banks of the Foyle. Roch hid his clothes and then swam by night to the city and delivered the despatches from Kirke. He then agreed to swim back to Kirke’s fleet with messages from the Derry city governor entreating Kirke not to desert the city which was at this point in a desperate state with lack of food and ammunition in particular. The messages were in a bladder attached to his hair and when Roch arrived back at the location where he hid his clothes he found that they were gone and that the woods were full of enemy troops. He ran naked through the woods for three miles and took refuge in the river from King James’s troops. He was fired on and had his jaw broken and three musket balls lodged in his body. He was unable to link up with Kirke’s fleet and eventually swam back again to the besieged city where on the 3rd July he was able to send a prearranged signal to Kirke from the cathedral tower in Derry urging Kirke not to desert the city and to attempt to break the siege.
On the 30th July 1689 Kirke eventually managed to break the boom across the river by ramming it with one of his ships. Three ships eventually went through the broken boom and the gunfire from the Jacobite army and relieved the town. The following day the Jacobite army under Hamilton retreated and thus ended the famous 105 day Siege of Derry. The Siege of Derry became one of the enduring Loyalist historic events which are still celebrated in modern times and Colonel James Roch was known as “The Swimmer” for the remainder of his life.
James “The Swimmer” Roch after the Siege of Derry:
James Roch was subsequently known as “The Swimmer” and received some rewards for his bravery from King William aka William of Orange and amongst these rewards was a grant of various ferry rights including that of Kinsale which was his place of birth. He was also granted some confiscated estates but these were later taken from his under the 1700 Act of Resumption. The granting of the ferries was somewhat of a poisoned chalice for James Roch as they were dispersed throughout the country and it was difficult to collect revenues. He became embroiled in costly legal disputes with incumbents who claimed ancient titles to several of the ferries. The rewards for his bravery therefore did not materialise to the extent envisaged at the time and James Roch spent considerable time attempting to recover his financial losses in submissions to the parliament in England. He was eventually granted the 1321 acre Glynn estate in Waterford in a 1696 patent15 and this subsequently became the Roch family home.
The Glynn estate had been confiscated from James Everard FitzCharles who was also attained for high treason following the recent rebellion. The breakdown of the 1321 acres above was detailed as follows: “Now grants to James Roche and his heirs for ever: Towrmore, Scartleagh alias Stonehouse, Tighroe, Glanballyquillenane, a moiety of Knockneferrer, Ballynecarny, and Parkebegg, containing in all 1116 acres profitable; Carruclogh, 38 acres profitable; and Small Parke, 167 acres profitable, all in Upperthird;”. James Roch also received the rights to additional ferries and these additional grants were outlined by Burke13 as follows:
James Roch was later to lose some of his estates as a result of the 1700 Act of Resumption which reversed some of the land confiscation decisions of the King William period but he retained the Glynn estate. The rights of the ferry at Carrick-on-Suir was one of those granted to James Roche by King William and this particular patent caused endless problems centuries later when the time came to bridge the Suir in the early 1900s. Waterford Corporation was eventually forced to buy out the ferry rights in 1907 for an apparent fee of £63,000. James Roch therefore encountered severe legal difficulties in laying claim to some of the estates and ferries and thus continued the problems the Roch family had with the English monarchy in the 17th and 18th centuries. Colonel James Roch eventually applied to the parliament of England in 1704, after the 1702 death of King William, for further relief in recompense for his services. He was awarded a grant of £3269 7s. 7d. of which he apparently eventually only received a third. He addressed a subsequent parliament in England to outline his position and the following is the detailed submission of his presentation to the parliament as outlined in the 1854 publication of Bernard Burke13. We include this here as it is probably the most authentic version of events of the time:
The Case of Captain James Roch (1704)
“That, in the year 1689, Major General Kirke was sent to the relief of Londonderry.”
“That, while the General lay in the Lough of Derry, he received intelligence that the Town was capitulating, and in three or four days was to be surrendered.”
“That all the ways to the town were blocked up by the late King James’s forces; so that it seemed impossible for the General to communicate with the Town.”
“That the General, considering it was a dangerous enterprise, offered a reward of 3000 guineas to any person that could carry his orders into the city; but it being a business of such difficulty and danger, no body would undertake it for some time, till at last, the said Roch, out of zeal he had for the late King (of glorious memory), and for the Protestant Religion, and interest in Ireland, did undertake the same.”
“That the said Roch underwent the hazard of passing through the enemy’s camps and guards, which extended eight miles; and when he was got beyond them, he swam down the Lough for three miles, and by God’s blessing, added to his endeavours, got safe to the town, and delivered the general’s message to the Governor.”
“That, after he had so done, and refreshed himself, but barely for one day, by the command of Colonel Baker, the then Governor, he returned to the general with the state of the garrison, and took water at London-Derry, and swam back three miles to the place where he had left his clothes.”
“That, when he arrived there, he found his clothes taken away, by which he imagined himself to be discovered; but, however, he was resolved to carry back to the general the Governor’s letter, which were tied in a bladder in his hair, and accordingly travelled naked three miles; but being discovered and pursued by the enemy, he was forced to take shelter in a wood, where the horse could not follow him, and passed through the wood with such hardships and difficulty, that he was torn by the briars, till he was gore blood.”
“That, having passed the woods, which brought him to the water-side, he was met by a party of the enemy’s dragoons, one of which broke the said Roch’s jaw-bone with a halberd, before he could get into the water, shot at him several times, and wounded him thrice, in the arm, breast, and shoulder, and offered him £10,000 in case he would deliver to them letters; but the said Roch’s zeal for his religion, his King, and his country was such, that he chose to die in the water (which he did expect to be his fate) rather than betray the trust reposed in him.”
“That, after all these difficulties, by God’s providence he got back to London-Derry, and by signals delivered him by the general before he left the fleet, gave the general notice from time to time from the steeple of Derry, how long the town could hold out.”
“That, King William and Queen Mary, out of a sense of his sufferings and services, did grant to him forfeited estates in Ireland, to a very considerable value; but the same have been decreed from him by the state trustees, and he never received from the said grants more than £180 12s. 5d., as by a report of the said trustees may appear.”
“That, in the year 1704, setting forth his case to the Parliament, they were pleased in compassion to grant him an Act for £3,268 7s. 7d. to be issued out of the forfeitures in Ireland, which did but barely re-imburse him the expense he was out of pocket; so that the petitioner has yet received nothing of the reward promised him for his services’”
“That, the funds upon which the said money was given proving deficient, and after the expense of four year’s time and a great deal of money, he had only received £1,148 9s. 0¾d., and no more can be expected from that fund.”
“That he has spent all the small fortune he had of his own, as well as that he had by his wife, and both contracted great debts, which have very much reduced him; and, unless the honourable House of Commons will afford him some relief he must never expect to return to his native country, for which he has done such signal services, but leave his wife and children exposed to the greatest hardships.”
The following excerpt regarding Colonel James Roch is also taken from Bernard Burke’s13 1854 publication:
"James Roch, colonel in King Williams's army at the relief of Derry, who was born at Kinsale, 29th Sept. 1657. His uncle, who never married, adopted and educated him; and his military talents were so well known, that in 1688, Lord Tyrconnell sent a special messenger, inviting him to assist James II in his struggle for the succession. Remembering what his family had suffered from the Stewarts, Mr Roch not only peremptorily refused, but directed Trant, the officer who had come on the negotiation, to announce to Lord Tyrconnell his resolve to take up arms immediately for the Prince of Orange. In the Williamite army he soon attained the rank of colonel, and at the memorable siege of Derry distinguished himself by his almost Roman heroism (ref: Dublin University Magazine Oct 1843). When Kirke, the general, sent to the relief of the beleagured town, arrived off Lough Foyle, he found a strong boom, or barricade, stretched across the harbour's mouth, so as effectually to preclude the passage of ships. In despair, he would have sailed away without any communication with the defenders of Derry, when Colonel Roch offered to swim to the town, bearing despatches. He did so, having attached bullets to the letters, that he might sink them in the event of his own capture, and returned to his companions; but having been repeatedly fired upon by the Irish troops who lined the banks, his jaw-bone was broken, and three musket-balls were lodged in different parts of his body. For this heroic feat he was, during the remainder of his life, honourably called "The Swimmer", and he received from the king the more substantial reward of the ferries of Ireland, along with fifteen of the forfeited estates. The latter was lost to him by the Act of Resumption, and parliament, in lieu, voted him a sum of money. But the funds from which this grant was to be derived fell so short of the stipulated sum that Colonel Roch did not receive above one-third of the voted money. This sum hardly covered the charges he had put himself to, in the raising and drilling of men; for in his enthusiasm for King William, he had wholy dedicated to his service, not only his private means, but also a considerable fortune he had acquired with his wife. Colonel Roch married 1st in 1693, Elizabeth [Susan ?] Gough, Daughter of the Bishop of Limerick, and had issue a son and daughter, who were named after the king and queen, and had the honour of having their majesties for sponsors; William born in 1695 and Mary born in 1694."
James 1st Roch attained the rank of Colonel in the army and in 1693 he married Susan Gough, daughter of William Gough and granddaughter of Dr. Francis Gough, Church of Ireland Bishop of Limerick from 1624 to 1634. Many historical records, including Burke’s Dictionary of Landed Gentry19, indicate that his first wife was named Elizabeth Gough. However it is now believed that she was in fact called Susan and this is the name that appears on the Roche gravestone in Churchtown which is unlikely to be inaccurate. Their two children William 1st, who died 1723 aged 28, and Mary were sponsored by and named after the king and queen of England. Colonel James 1st Roch later married a widow Elizabeth Hanbury nee Hamerton on 20th July 1700 and they had one son, also called James 2nd Roch, who effectively succeeded him as his first son William 1st died in July 1723. Colonel James 1st “The Swimmer” Roch was the high sheriff of Waterford in 1714.
Death of James “The Swimmer” Roch:
Colonel James “The Swimmer” Roch died at Glynn Castle on 12th December 1722. He was a hero to the Protestant Williamites and was undoubtedly a very courageous soldier. The following reference to his death was recorded in Bernard Burke’s13 1854 publication:
"Colonel James Roch was high sheriff of the county of Waterford in 1714. On the 10th Aug 1714 he proclaimed King George 1st at Dungarvan and Carrick-on-Suir. On 21st Dec 1722 he was taken ill at Dungarvan, and died there the following day. He was buried at Churchtown, in the vault beneath the family pew. His son of the second marriage James Roch succeeded (son of Col James Roch and Mrs Hanbury - wife of deceased John Hanbury)".
Colonel James Roch was buried in the old church of Ballintemple more commonly called Churchtown in English, which is located close to the family home in Glynn (or Glen/Glin) in the Windgap area of Waterford. According to Rev P Power in his comments on Ballintemple church in his overview14 of ancient ruined churches of Waterford:
" No other tomb of special interest could be found in the graveyard, but within the little modern church there is a tablet set in the east wall, bearing the following inscription, under the arms Roche:- 'Here lieth in a vault beneath, the deceased part of the family of Coll. James Roche, of Glyn, viz.: He Himself, Susan his first wife, Wm., his eldest son, and Anna Maria, wife to his second son James, who died the 9th July, 1725. The sd. James caused this monument to be erected in memory of his sd. relatives'. The place-name, Glynn, referred to more than once in the above description, is immortalised in the title of two famous Irish airs, viz., "Shaun O'Dwyer of Glen,", better known under its Irish title of Seaghan O Duibhir an Gleanna and "The Humours of Glynn.". Although Churchtown be the name of the townland on which the Church ruin stands, the parish, of which the ruined sacred edifice was once the spiritual centre, bears the ancient name of Bolandesert, which we find sometimes written Desert, Dysart, and Desart”.
James Roch was considered a traitor to his ancestry by the predominantly Catholic Jacobites. Folklore12 has it that this Catholic hostility manifested itself at James Roch’s burial in Churchtown graveyard in Waterford in 1722. James Power of Graignagower in Ballymacarbry, better known as Séamus na Sróna (James of the Nose), was apparently requested to give the gravestone oration. Séamus na Sróna was a Catholic Gaelic poet who had converted and it was felt that he would be the an ideal funeral orator for James Roch in view of his own journeys from Catholicism to Protestantism. Séamus na Sróna had apparently nothing good to say about James Roch however and gave a scathing “eulogy” in Irish which was not understood by the Williamite sympathisers in the graveyard. Legend has it that the tombstone over the grave split in two as a result of the invective and bitter satire in the graveside oration of Séamus na Sróna. The will of James Roch was dated 18th September 1719.
James “The Swimmer” Roch was undoubtedly a fearless and resolute Irish soldier whose bravery and exploits have somewhat faded in the mists of time. He lost his father and most of his nearest male relatives in battles before he reached his first birthday. The Roch family were additionally treated badly by all sides in the desperately difficult 17th century rebellion periods and lost most of their estates. They managed to incur the wrath of Cromwell and the seeming indifference of the royal Stuart family whom they had supported both financially and in battle. James 1st ”The Swimmer” Roch was an immediate ancestor of the Roch family of Woodbine Hill Kinsalebeg and on his death he would have been succeeded by his eldest son, William 1st Roch, who however died the year after the death of his father. In effect his real successor was James 2nd Roch who was a son of his father’s second marriage. We leave the last word on “The Swimmer” to Bernard Burke13 in his conclusion to the 1854 article on Colonel James Roch:
William 1st Roch (1695-1723)
William 1st Roch was the first son of James 1st “The Swimmer” Roch by his marriage to Susan Gough, granddaughter of the Bishop of Limerick. He married Elinor Lapp, daughter of a Waterford merchant John Lapp, and they had two children James and Lydia. William 1st Roch died at the age of 28 on 29th July 1723 and his son James 3rd Roch died the following day on 30th July 1723 when he was around 9 months of age. Lydia Roch was therefore the only surviving offspring of William 1st Roch and she inherited her father’s Glynn estate but the inheritance was later disputed by the Congreve family. Elinor Roch nee Lapp, widow of William 1st Roch, secondly married Ambrose Congreve of Waterford in 1725. Lydia Roch, heir and only surviving offspring of William 1st Roch and Elinor Lapp, did not marry and she died in June 1725. This was the same year that her mother Elinor married Ambrose Congreve and when Lydia Roch died the Congreves claimed the Glynn estate. This led to a protracted and expensive legal dispute between the Roch and Congreve families. The dispute was eventually settled with the estate being divided between between the two families. After the death of Ambrose Congreve in 1741 his wife Elinor Congreve nee Roch nee Lapp married thirdly John Whetcomb who was Bishop of Clonfert and later Archbishop of Cashel. Elinor Whetcomb nee Congreve nee Roch nee Lapp died in 1754 and was buried with her third husband on the Rock of Cashel.
The above mentioned Congreve family were the founders of the world famous Mount Congreve gardens near Kilmeaden in Co. Waterford. The gardens consisting of over seventy acres of intensively planted diverse woodland and over four acres of walled garden are famous for their rare species of plants as well as their nurseries. The gardens were established in 1760 and remained in the Congreve family for six generations until the death of Ambrose Congreve at the age of 104 years in 2011. The gardens were left to the Irish State after the death of Ambrose Congreve whose gardens had famously won thirteen gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show in London. The gardens were originally built in 1760 by John Congreve who was a son of the Ambrose Congreve and Elinor Roch nee Lapp outlined above. Mount Congreve gardens were therefore built on the land which formed part of the settlement after the Roch v Congreve land dispute after Lydia Roch died in 1725.
James 2nd Roch (1702-1741) & Anne Maria Hamerton/Melian Pomeroy
James 2nd Roch was a son of the marriage of James 1st “The Swimmer” Roch and his second wife Elizabeth Hamerton, widow of John Hanbury. He was born about 1702 in Glynn Castle and died in Dungarvan on 28th Jan 1741. James 2nd Roch married firstly Anna Maria Hamerton and they had one son, James 4th Roch of Odell Lodge & Woodbine Hill, who was born about 1722 in Glynn Castle and died around 1790 in Woodbine Hill Co Waterford. James 2nd Roch secondly married Melian Pomeroy, daughter of Thomas Pomeroy and Audriah Towgood. The children of this marriage included Melian born about 1732 in Glynn Castle, William born about 1732 in Lehard (Lahard) Cork, Luke born about 1734 in Glynn and Audriah born about 1739 in Glynn (sometimes indicated that Woodbine Hill was the birthplace). The birth of Audriah Roch in Woodbine Hill or Glynn in 1739 is the first reference to Woodbine Hill in the Roch ancestry. This reference however conflicts with later information which indicates that it was 1782-1784 when the Roch family first took up residence in Woodbine Hill and that George Butler Roch was the first member of the Roch family actually born in Woodbine Hill in 1784. In this period there are a number of locations associated with the Roch family including Glynn, Carriglea, Odell, Lehard and Woodbine Hill and it would appear that some genealogical records may have attributed incorrect locations to certain birth, marriage and death records.
Luke Roch was a Lieutenant in the army and married Elizabeth Waring. Subsequent to his army career he became a collector of taxes in Kilkenny City. Melian Roch married Beverley Ussher and her sister Audriah married Edward Matthew Jones who was a collector of taxes in Youghal. William 3rd Roch married Mary Lane and one of their children was Sampson Towgood Roch who was born in Lehard Cork in 1759. He married his cousin Melian Roch, daughter of James 4th Roch & Isabella Odell, in May 1787. Sampson Towgood Roch became a renowned miniature painter in both Ireland and the UK and his miniature paintings are now located in a number of national, international and private galleries. He returned to the family home in Woodbine Hill in 1822 and continued to paint portraits as well as scenes of everyday rural life in Ireland until his death in 1847 in Woodbine Hill. Many of these paintings depict people and scenes in the area around Woodbine Hill and elsewhere in Kinsalebeg. Ambrose Roch, who was another son of William 3rd Roch & Mary Lane, married Regina Maria Dalton from Mooncoin. She went on to become a highly popular novelist of the late 18th century. She specialised in what was known as Gothic fiction which combined aspects of romance and horror. She wrote numerous novels including The Children of the Abbey and A Nocturnal Visit.
James 4th Roch (1722-1792) & Mary Cotter nee Welsh
James 4th Roch of Odell Lodge and Thomas Welsh of Killongford were business partners who were involved in a number of land and property transactions in the West Waterford and East Cork area in the latter part of the 18th century. The history of the poet Piaras Mac Gearailt of Ballykenneally and Kilmaloo outlines for example that James Roch & Thomas Welsh took out a lease on the Mac Gearailt Ballykenneally land in 1765. This particular branch of the Welsh family were resident in the Killongford, Woodstock and Canty area of West Waterford and had possible family links to the Walshs of Pilltown even though the precise relationship has not yet been established. The above Thomas Welsh of Killongford was married to a Mary Cotter, a daughter of Edmond Cotter of Cullena (Cullenagh) Co Cork. They had eight children namely Robert (born c 1761), Thomas (born c 1762), James (born c 1765), Pierce (born c 1770), Charles Luke, Edmund, Helen (born c 1769) and Mary Welsh (born c 1776). Thomas Welsh died in 1776 and in 1782 his widow Mary Welsh nee Cotter married her deceased husband’s business partner, James 4th Roch of Odell Lodge Co Waterford who was a grandson of the famous Colonel James 1st “The Swimmer” Roch. In later years James 4th Roch of Odell Lodge was invited by the then Corporation of Londonderry to visit their city as a mark of respect to his grandfather. He was entertained at a public dinner and received the freedom of the city in a gold box valued 40 guineas.
James 4th Roch of Odell Lodge was born in Glyn Castle about 1722 and was firstly married to Isabella Odell, daughter of John Osborne Odell. James & Isabella Roch had at least four children namely James 5th (born circa 1750), John (Born c 1752), Luke (born c 1752) and Melian (born c 1757). The three sons James, John and Luke Roch joined the army and all apparently died while on military service overseas. When Isabella Roch nee Odell died her husband James 4th Roch married Mary Welsh nee Cotter as outlined earlier. After their marriage in 1782 James 4th & Mary Roch nee Welsh nee Cotter took up residence in the old house in Woodbine Hill. The house appeared to be in the possession of the Welsh family at that time. James & Mary Roch had one son, George Butler Roch, who was born in Woodbine Hill on the 23rd May 1784. James 4th Roch died on the 16th Dec 1792 and a few years later the lease of the Woodbine Hill home was transferred from the Welsh family to his widow Mary Roch. Thomas, James and Charles Luke Welsh, who were three of the sons of Mary Roch from her earlier marriage to Thomas Welsh, transferred their interest in the old Woodbine Hill house to their mother Mary Roch in deeds drawn up in 1792/1793. The following is a summary of some of the key land transactions involving the Roch family in the 1780-1800 period.
Land Transactions in Woodbine Hill in period 1780 to 1800:
There were a number of land transactions in the period 1780 to 1800 which involved Woodbine Hill, Prospect Hall and the families of Roch and Welsh. These transactions are quite complicated as they typically involve a combination of leases, sub-leases, grants, declarations of trust and sales. Most of the transactions are leases and sub-leases as there is generally a main landlord at a higher level who may not even be mentioned in the deed document. The Walshs of Pilltown were the main landlords in Monatray incorporating Prospect Hall/Woodbine Hill area up until about 1725. The Bernards of Bandon were main landlords in Monatray for the next century from 1725 until 1825 at which point the Smyths of Headborough & Monatray became the main landlords until the latter end of the 19th century. The following is a brief synopsis of some of the key transactions involving Woodbine Hill in the period from 1780 to 1800 as it was in this period that the Roch family finally established a permanent home in Woodbine Hill:
(1) In a 1788 deed1 James Bernard of Bandon leases the land of Monatray to Richard Barrett of Snugborough (Monatray).
(2) In a 1790 document9 William Henry Coghlan of Ferrypoint, a nephew of Henry Coghlan, leased lands in Moneteroe [Monatray] otherwise Woodbine Hill to James Welsh of Dublin (Attorney). James Welsh was one of the sons of Mary Roch nee Walsh nee Cotter from her first marriage to Thomas Welsh of Killongford. The lease of Woodbine Hill included the dwelling house, out offices and twenty acres of land. The deed indicates that the same lands were originally demised or leased by James Bernard Esq to Henry Coghlan (uncle of Henry).
(3) In another 1790 declaration of trust document10, of the same date as above, James Welsh declared that the land and property of Woodbine Hill, as outlined in earlier deeds, was being granted in trust for the sole use and benefit of his mother Mary Roch of Woodbine Hill - widow of James 4th Roch.
(4) Various 1792/1793 deeds confirmed that James, Luke & Thomas Welsh, the three sons of Mary Roch from her 1st marriage to Thomas Welsh, had demised or granted the house and land of Woodbine Hill to their mother Mary Roch. The land involved was earlier demised to James Welsh by William Henry Coghlan.
(5) In a 1793 deed11 Richard Barrett leased part of the land of Monatray to Mary Roch. The total amount of land involved was 292 acres, the consideration was £250 sterling and the yearly rent was specified as £360 pound sterling. A house included in the lease was previously occupied by Edmond Flynn. The land was previously being leased by Richard Barrett to a number of individuals as outlined in the following excerpt from the deed:
“A memorial of an indenture of lease hereby dated 4th day of June, 1793 made between Richard Barrett of Snugborough and Mary Roche of Woodbine Hill … consideration of £250 pounds … part of the land of Monoeatoro [Monatray] and late of the possession of James Welsh, Edmond Flynn, John Flaherty & Edward Carthy, James Murray, Maurice? Ahern & Michael Keane & Walter Wall bounded on the East by Croker & Hearn & on the West by the lands of James Colbert, Matthew FitzGerald? & Edward Gorman & Edward Murray & on the North by the road leading from the Ferrypoint to Whiting Bay & in the South by the sea, situate in the Barony of Decies within Drum consisting of 292 acres, 3 roods and 20 perches by Survey etc..”
The witnesses to the above 1793 deed included “George Roche Jun son to James Roche late of Odell Lodge and George Roderick son to James Roderick of Summerhill.” It also mentions a Patrick Lawler of Lackendarra and James Welsh of Dublin Apothecary. The George Roche Jun mentioned in the lease was George Butler Roch, only son of James & Mary Roch, who built the present Woodbine Hill house in later years. The Bernards were still the main landlords of the land and house of Woodbine Hill when the above land transactions were completed. Their ownership continued until 1825 when the Bernards sold out to the Smyths. The drawing below is an artistic impression of the old Woodbine Hill by Spencer Welsh.
George Butler Roch (1784-1859)
George Butler Roch (1784-1859) was the next member of the Roch family to take over in Woodbine Hill. He was the only son of James 4th Roch and Mary Walsh nee Cotter and was born on the 23rd May 1784 in Woodbine Hill. He married Jane Wilkinson (1798-1870), daughter of William Wilkinson, on the 23rd October 1813. They had eight children namely Melian (born 1816), George (born 1819), James 6th (born 1822), Mary (born 1825), Sampson (born 1829), Sarah (born c 1830), Jane (born c 1833) and Selina (born c 1835). Mary Roch, mother of George Butler, died on the 12th May 1825 in the old Woodbine Hill residence. George Butler Roch was responsible for the building of the new main residence in Woodbine Hill around 1832. The new house was built about 100 metres from the old residence which was retained. Some historical records indicate that the new house was not built until as late as 1846 but the 1832 date would appear to be correct according to Roch archive records. Burkes Guide to Country Houses has an entry which states:
“Woodbine Hill: A plain late-Georgian house built in 1846 by George Roch, replacing an earlier house on a lower site which was ‘spared for old affection’s sake”
According to the landed estates records2 George Roch held this Woodbine Hill property from the Smyth family in 1851:
“George Roche held this property from the Smyth estate in 1851 when it was valued at over £26. Local sources suggest it was built by him earlier in the nineteenth century. It is still extant and occupied.”
The post Griffith (1847-1864) land registration indicates that approximately 24 acres of land and buildings were leased by George Roche from Catherine Smyth and another 18 acres were in fee. George Roch also held other properties and land mostly in the Monatray Middle area during this period. The Smyths of Headborough and Monatray were significant landlords in the Kinsalebeg area in the 19th century and most of the land/property in Prospect Hall, Moord, Mortgage, Rath etc was ultimately being leased from the Smyths.
Woodbine Hill c 1850: The very faint ghostly figures on the above Woodbine Hill picture are L-R: Mary (cook), Jane Butler Roch nee Wilkinson (wife of George Butler Roch Snr), children Mary, Selina, Jane and George Roch Jun.
Children of George Butler Roch & Jane Wilkinson:
The following is a brief summary of the children of George Butler Roch and Jane Wilkinson who married in 1813:
(1) Melian Roch was born on the 8th April 1816 at Woodbine Hill. She married Henry Downes Sheppard who was a son of Anthony Robinson Sheppard and Audriah Downes. Henry Downes Sheppard was a captain in the 19th Madras Native Infantry at the time of his marriage to Melian Roch on the 1st Jan 1842 at Kinsalebeg Church. Melian Sheppard nee Roch died on 1st Nov 1891 and her husband died on 25th February 1883. They are both buried in Kinsalebeg Church, Co Waterford and the grave is located on the back right hand side of the church.
(2) George Roch was born in Woodbine Hill on the 15th April 1819. He succeeded his father George Butler Roch when his father died in 1859. George Roch married Harriet St Leger Purcell on the 18th July 1874. He died without issue on the 3rd July 1894 and was succeeded by his brother Sampson Roch.
(3) James 6th Roch was born in Woodbine Hill on the 12th Sept 1822. He married Mary Jane Melen, daughter of John Melen, on the 24th Feb 1851.
(4) Mary Roch was born about 1825 in Woodbine Hill and died in Woodbine Hill on the 19th Jan 1892.
(5) Sampson Roch born in Woodbine Hill on the 29th June 1829. He married Agnes Brown on the 21st Oct 1869 and died on the 9th Nov 1906. He succeeded his brother George Roch who died without issue.
(6) Sarah Roch was born in Woodbine Hill about 1833 but died young.
(7) Jane Roch was born in Woodbine Hill about 1833 and married Henry Peard of Carrigeen Hall Co Cork. She died on the 22nd October 1905.
(8) Selina Roch was born in Woodbine Hill about 1835 and married John Downes Sheppard Comm Indian Navy about 1855. John Sheppard was a brother of Henry Downes Sheppard who married Melian Roch, a sister of Selina. Selina Sheppard nee Roch died on the 23rd January 1892.
George Roch (1819-1894) & Harriet St Leger Purcell
George Roch J.P & D.L of Woodbine Hill was son of George Butler Roch and Jane Wilkinson and was born on 15th April 1819. His father died in 1859 and George Roch succeeded him. George Roch married Harriett St Leger of Rochestown Wood Co Cork on the 18th July 1874. She was a daughter of Richard Harris Purcell of Annabella & Burnfort Park Cork. George Roch died without issue on 3rd July 1894 and was buried in Ardmore. He was succeeded by his brother Sampson Roch. His wife Harriet St Leger Roch nee Purcell died around 1911 in Rochestown, Douglas Cork where she lived with her sisters, Nellie Purcell and Elizabeth Fuller, after the death of her husband.
Sampson Roch (1829-1906) & Agnes Brown
Sampson Roch of Woodbine Hill was son of George Butler Roch and Jane Wilkinson and was born 29th June 1829 in Woodbine Hill. He married Agnes Brown in St John The Evangelist, Notting Hill London on 21st October 1869. She was a daughter of Bartholomew John Brown of Moorham’s Hall Essex and Fanny Bigsby, daughter of the late William Bigsby. Sampson Roch received his medical training in Trinity College and served in the army medical area from 1854 to 1881 and saw active service in Sebastopol, Mamelon, Bengal, Mauritius, Madagascar and Abyssinia. Brigade-Surgeon Sampson Roch retired from the army in March 1881 and was given the honorary rank of Deputy Surgeon-General. After the army he became Medical Officer for Health in Cheltenham and retired to Woodbine Hill in 1892 and remained there until his death on the 15th Dec 1906. His wife Agnes died on the 2nd April 1922. They had three sons George Butler, Henry Leslie and Horace Sampson Roch. George Butler Roch was born on the 2nd August 1871 in Chukrata, Bengal in India and died unmarried 30th March 1905. Henry Leslie Roch was also born in Bengal India on the 18th March 1874 and died unmarried on the 16th March 1936. Horace Sampson was the third son of Sampson Roch. He was born in Kilkenny on the 13th August 1876 and eventually succeeded his father in Woodbine Hill where he lived until his death on the 23rd May 1960.
Military Career of Sampson Roch:
Sampson Roch received his medical education in Trinity College Dublin (M.R.C.S Eng.) before embarking on an army medical career culminating in the rank of Deputy Surgeon-General Sampson Roch. He was appointed assistant-surgeon in the army on 16th March 1855 and in 1869 was appointed surgeon of the 55th Foot having previously been an army medical staff surgeon. He served in a number of military campaigns including the Crimean War where he was a major in the 34th Regiment from the 9th December 1854 to 1856 (Medal and Clasp for Sebastapol and Turkish Medal). He served in the Indian Rebellion of 1857-1858 including the actions of the 25th-28th November 1857 at Cawnpore (Medal). He also served in the Abyssinian Campaign from 1867 to 1868.
Dr Sampson Roch & the Abyssinian Campaign of 1867-1868:
The campaign in Abyssinia, now known as Ethiopia, was a retaliatory mission following the imprisonment of missionaries and British personnel by the Emperor Tewodros II (Theodore) of Abyssinia. The campaign was of short duration covering the period from October 1867 to June 1868. The expedition was led by Lt-Gen Robert Napier who was commander in chief of the Bombay Army. He led a force of 13,000 British & Indian troops in a three month trek covering around 400 miles over the mountains to reach the Emperor’s capital at Magdala. The Abyssinians (Ethiopians) were beaten at two battles at Arroghee and Magdala and the emperor was killed. The army then made the return trip to the coast with large amounts of treasure. The terrain was very difficult and the transport logistics were very large as can be deduced from a summary of the numbers involved which included: 11,500 troops with equipment, 7365 camels, 11155 mules, 6822 pack bullocks, 1708 ponies, 901 draught bullocks, 784 donkeys, 305 mule carts, 345 bullock carts. In total there were close to 30,000 animals involved in the brief campaign. Dr Sampson Roch of Woodbine Hill was in charge of the Golden Fleece hospital ship during this campaign. The Golden Fleece together with two other hospital ships, Mauritius and Queen of the South, were based in Annesley Bay during the campaign.
The following is a medical update of the situation on the hospital ships in Annesley Bay on 3rd January 1868 and reported in the British Medical Journal on 25th Jan 1868:
“All three of the hospital ships are here at present. The Golden Fleece arrived on the 10th of December, making the run from Portsmouth in sixty-eight days. The Mauritius arrived on the 23rd, and the Queen of the South on the 27th. The Golden Fleece has received sixty-eight patients since that time; the greater number of them belonging to the 33rd, who sent their men who were unfit for marching, though they were not exactly cases for a general hospital. They were principally cases of old Indian fevers revived here, including several bad selections of men they might have been left behind with advantage. The Engineers, that came out here from England, sent us a great percentage, as they were young, fresh men, who, when they were put on a moderate supply of indifferent water, got attacks of acute diarrhoea and dysentery. Some sick have been received from the royal naval ships in harbour. The exposure to the great heat of the sun has given about five cases of “insolatio” (extreme sunburn). They are generally traceable to neglect in port of the patient to guard himself properly. As to the success of the hospital ships, it is unfortunately clear they will never do in this hot climate, especially as they are iron steamers; and, even if they were fit for hospitals, they will be so far removed from the front, that it will be impossible to transport sick from the front through that hot belt of sand which divides us from the hill country. They are at present equipping themselves on shore with the surplus stores of the hospital ships, and are to establish a field-hospital at Senafe, which will be most convenient for them; so that the ships will only get those that fall sick below that point. It is hence quite clear that three (ships) will not be wanted for that work. Dr Sampson Roch, who is in charge of the Golden Fleece, is indefatigable in his exertions to make this ship as perfect as possible under the circumstances. There were experiments made, at the suggestion of Captain Tryon, chief transport officer of the expedition, as to the relative attractive and retentive properties of different pigments for painting the ships with. He found that, when a ship was painted with whitewash, the sides were 18 degrees Fahr. cooler than when painted black, 7 degrees cooler than the slate-colour of the Liverpool transports, and 3 degrees cooler than white paint. We are to whitewash as soon as we get the necessary ingredients from the store-ship. “
A British War Office publication16 gives a detailed overview of the whole Abyssinian campaign. One of the reports within the overall publication is a report by Dr Roch on events on board the hospital ship “Golden Fleece” during the Abyssinian campaign. It is a very detailed report with a diary of events throughout the period. It also contains a detailed specification by Dr Roch of what he considers to be a model hospital ship for future campaigns. The full article is too detailed to include here but we include excerpts from Dr Roch’s report to give a general idea of life on board a hospital ship in this period. It does not include much detail about injuries received during the campaign itself and most of the treatments outlined covered sickness rather than battle injuries. The distance and difficult terrain between the hospital ships and the troops no doubt meant that battle injuries were mainly treated on land close to the battle action and the hospital ships were a secondary port of call. The Golden Fleece was a three masted ship with an overall length of 280 feet. The following was a summary of her itinerary in the period around the Abyssinian campaign:
3rd October 1867: Sailed from Portsmouth.
7th December 1867: Arrived at Aden safe and well. She is engaged in the Abyssinian Expedition as a hospital ship.
9th May 1868: Past Deal for Algoa Bay, and has put back to Gravesend.
11th June 1868: Sailed from Aden for England.
14th June 1868: Spoken to 4N, 14W off Jean Fernando, from London for Algoa Bay.
14th July 1868: Arrived in Simon’s Bay, Captain J. Smyth, for coal from Aden with officers and troops from the Abyssinian war.
December 1867 Dr Roch report:
“On December 17, 1867 we opened hospital on board the ‘Golden Fleece’ in Annesley Bay, Abyssinia.The prevailing diseases during the remainder of this month were bowel affections, principally diarrhoea, with two cases of dysentery. The attacks were mild in character, readily yielding to treatment, and their cause (caeteris paribus) may be imputed to drinking impure water. The average temperature in the shade, as registered by Fahrenheit’s thermometer was, at noon, 84.22 degrees; at midnight, 81.66 degrees. The temperature of the sea-water by the ship’s side was, from 15 feet to surface, 80 degrees Fahrenheit”.
March 1868 Dr Roch report:
“March, 1868: Seventeen cases of dysentery were admitted during the month, of which eight are recorded by me as sporadic, it not having appeared that they ever suffered from this disease previously. The others were contracted in the country, but had previously suffered from this affection in India. It was supposed to have been produced by the combined influence of insufficient rations, impure water, sudden transition from heat during day to cold during night, and exposure to wet etc. Most of the cases occurred on the journey from Kumayli to Antalo. The great bulk of the patients treated during this month were composed of weakly men weeded from the various regiments destined to form the Advanced Force; and the entire number of 187 were sent in the “Golden Fleece” to Suez on the 19th March, and proceeded to England in the ‘Simoom’.”
June 1868 Dr Roch report:
“In conclusion, I shall only observe, that from the date of opening hospital in Annesley Bay on the 17th December, 1867, to that of our leaving it again for England on the 5th June, 1868, a period of over six months, 486 soldiers, 37 officers, 60 Royal Navy, and 27 Transport Service, a total of 610 patients, were treated on board the hospital ship ‘Golden Fleece’.”
June 1868 Hospital Ship Specification of Dr Roch:
Dr Sampson Roch produced a specification for the ideal hospital ship at the end of the Abyssinian Campaign in June 1868. The specification was based on his experiences in charge of the hospital ship “Golden Fleece” in the preceding six months. The specifications were extremely detailed and contained very practical solutions to key requirements on a hospital ship. We can only assume that the production of a ship specification was very much done on a voluntary basis by Dr Sampson Roch but it demonstrates very well the advantages of decision makers in any walk of life who have a detailed knowledge of the problems and issues on the ground. Dr Roch had the advantage of being in charge of a ship and was therefore in a position in being able to put some of the recommendations into practice and to subsequently show the beneficial effects of these eg reduction in illness etc. Dr Roch’s suggestions were taken on board in the design of hospital ships in later years. One can only wonder if we have made much progress or applied such logic in medical care facilities in the intervening 150 years. A key point in the specification was the area of hygiene as it was apparent from the medical reports that conditions and facilities on the hospital ship itself were factors in the spread of diseases particularly in the hot conditions of Abyssinia. One of the unusual suggestions was the use of whitewash rather than paint on the outside of the ships – this was no doubt based on local knowledge from Kinsalebeg where whitewashed cottages were the normal but the recommendations stopped short of suggesting thatching the ships! His suggestion for the positioning of the toilets was as follows:
“overhanging the water directly, and at such distance as to dispense with the necessity of pipes”.
This would no doubt have resulted in some hazardous trips during the night or in inclement weather. It would have increased the possibility of frostbite or sunburn to your extremities or in the worst case an unexpected trip to Davy Jones Locker!
Brief extracts from Dr Sampson Roch’s model hospital ship specifications:
“The class of vessel best adapted for this purpose would appear to be an iron ship, not less than 10 feet between decks (ie between the upper and main deck), lined with wood on the outside down to the watermark, with a non-conductor of felt between the wood and iron, pierced along the sides with large square ports, 3 feet by 3 feet. Two large central ports on each side, flush with the deck, and sufficiently large (8 feet by 8 feet) to admit readily a wounded man on a hospital stretcher or dhooly, when raised out of a sick boat by a tackle. These ports should be furnished with gangways and ladders for the accommodation of the sick. The lesser ports should be furnished with slides – one for glass, the other for Venetian blinds – and should have side ventilators to catch the breeze from the bow. An iron ship is chosen as less likely to absorb and retain poisonous miasma or contagion; and lining the outside with wood etc will overcome the objection of the iron being the greater conductor of heat and cold.”
“Wash hand basins and waterclosets for convalescents and Army Hospital Corps should be placed one on each side of this deck (Upper deck). The latrines to overhang the water with a direct drop. Those on the leeward side to be used only. The advantages of overhanging latrines, contrasted with those constructed inboard, both for use at sea and in harbour, have been sufficiently proved by the experiments in the ‘Golden Fleece’. The “quarter galleries” to be used as latrines, so fitted to overhang the water directly, and at such distance as to dispense with the necessity of pipes etc.”
“Whitewash v Paint: The advantages of whitewash over paint, as a non-conductor of heat, are now pretty well acknowledged; and experiments have shown a decrease in temperature, in favour of this agent in tropical climates, of 3 degrees below white paint, of 7 degrees below buff, and 15 degrees below black. All hospital ships for tropical service should therefore be whitewashed on the outside; and I strongly advocate its adoption for the inside hospital decks, as more cheerful, cheaper, more readily renewed, and a more sanitary agent than paint. It was adopted with the happiest results in the ‘Golden Fleece’ both inside and outside, during the Abyssinian Expedition, and greatly improved the light in, and cheerful aspect of, both the officers’ saloon and hospital decks. For internal use, it was simply prepared by mixing the lime with thickish rice-water, no size or other agent being used. Paint must be washed clean and free from grease before this wash is applied over it”.
Death and Obituary of Deputy Surgeon-General Sampson Roch (1906):
Deputy Surgeon-General Sampson Roch died in Woodbine Hill on the 9th November 1906 at 77 years of age. The following obituary of him appeared in the British Medical Journal in December 1906. It contains graphic details of the bravery of Sampson Roch in his attempt to rescue an injured soldier during the Crimean War while under enemy fire. Dr Roch was mentioned in dispatches for his bravery in this incident.
Obituary Notice Dec 15th 1906 in British Medical Journal
"Deputy Surgeon-General Sampson Roch, who died at his residence, Woodbine Hill, near Youghal, Ireland, on 9th November (1906) was born on June 29th, 1829, the youngest son of Mr G.B. Roch of Woodbine Hill. He received his medical education at Trinity College, Dublin and became M.R.C.S. Eng in 1854. In the same year he entered the Army Medical Department, and joined the troops before Sebastopol; during the siege he was frequently in the advanced works, and was present when the Russian rifle pits were taken in April 1855. On June 7th, 1855 he volunteered to accompany the French when they stormed the Mamelon, and on June 17th, after 24 hours in the trenches, again volunteered for the attack which took place on the following day. On June 6th, 1855, when attached to the 12th Field Battery, Royal Artillery, while restraining, by digital pressure, haemorrhage from a wounded gunner's thigh as he was being carried to the rear, a shell dropped near the carrying party who took refuge behind a gun carriage, Surgeon Roch neither moved from his position nor relaxed his hold until the explosion of the shell scattered his patient's brains in his face. For this act of gallantry he was mentioned in dispatches. Surgeon Roch served in Bengal during the Mutiny from 1857 to 1859, he was in Mauritius from 1860 to 1865, and was selected to accompany the embassy under Colonel Middleton to the Court of Radama, King of Madagascar. In 1857 he volunteered to go to Abyssinia and was appointed to the charge of the Golden Fleece Hospital Ship. He left the army in 1882 and took the diploma of L.R.C.P.I; he was soon afterwards appointed Medical Officer of Health for Cheltenham, which post he held until 1892, when he retired to his family home in Ireland [Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg]."
Original death notice in British Medical Journal 15th Dec 1906:
Woodbine Hill (1884-1911)
According to Valuation Office4 records Woodbine Hill was “House furnished & is occasionally let in summer months. Mr Roche resides in Cork”. This seems to relate to the period from 1884 onwards and various occupiers are listed in this period including Letitia Townshend, J.G.R Lindsay (1891) and Henry Lingard (1893). In the 1901 census Sampson Roch (aged 72) resided in Woodbine Hill with his son Henry Leslie (aged 28) and servants Ellen Whelan and Bridget Shanahan. There were no records of any occupants in Woodbine Hill at the actual date of the 1911 census and Henry Leslie Roch was living in Youghal at that time.
Horace Sampson Roch (1876-1960) and Emily Helena Crone
Col. Horace Sampson Roch was son of Sampson Roch and Jane Wilkinson and was born in Woodbine Hill Co Waterford on the 13th August 1876. He received his medical education at King’s College Hospital London where he graduated in 1899. He joined the army in a medical capacity like his father. He was a member of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) and a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (LRCP). He married firstly Marjorie Power, eldest daughter of Robert Power, on 15th February 1919 and they spent their honeymoon in Paris. Marjorie Roch nee Power unfortunately died a short time afterwards on the 9th May 1919 during the Spanish Influenza epidemic. Horace Sampson Roch subsequently married Emily Helena Crone, daughter of the Rev Alexander Crone of Newry Co Down, on the 17th November 1931. Rev Alexander Crone was a curate in Clashmore in 1901 and also served as a curate in Kinsalebeg Church in 1904. Kinsalebeg was joined with Templemichael in 1911 and Kinsalebeg Church itself became derelict in the following decades. Horace Sampson Roch salvaged some of the interior fittings of the church. The wall panelling was removed from the church and installed in the dining room at Woodbine Hill where it is still present.
Military Medical Career of Horace Sampson Roch (1899-1930):
Horace Sampson Roch had a distinguished career in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) which he joined when he finished his King’s Hospital medical studies in 1899. The RAMC was a specialist corps in the British Army which was responsible for providing medical services to army personnel and their families in both peace time and war time. He was immediately drafted to serve in the Boer War in South Africa where he remained for the period 1899 to 1902. The Boer War took place between Britain and the Boers of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State in what is now the state of South Africa. It was a brutal and violent campaign where the British followed a “scorched earth” policy and were one of the first countries to introduce concentration camps as part of their military campaign. Boer civilians, mainly women and children, were rounded up and sent to these camps where many died as a result of disease and starvation. The British policy led to a loss of support for their campaign back in Britain and this led to an agreement which concluded the hostilities and later led to independence for the Boers. The Boer War was a difficult war for Britain as they found the guerilla tactics of the resilient Boers, descendants of Dutch emigrants, difficult to counteract. In addition the RAMC found that around 50% of the newly arrived British soldiers were physically not fit enough to engage in the type of warfare they were about to encounter. The Boer War was undoubtedly a harsh introduction to the horrors of war for the twenty two year old from Woodbine Hill who had just completed his medical studies. Horace Sampson Roch was awarded the Queen’s Medal with six clasps and the King’s Medal with two clasps for his service during the Boer War. These medals were specific to the Boer war and the clasps indicated which campaigns the recipient was involved in as well as the duration of their service.
Horace Sampson Roch was posted to India at the end of the Boer War in 1902 and remained there until 1905. His father had also spent a period in India during the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Horace Sampson Roch returned to England after his period in India and was appointed Adjutant at the West Riding R.A.M.C Territorial School of Instruction in Leeds where he remained until 1911. He was promoted to Major in 1911 and soon afterwards returned to South Africa for a second period of duty from 1911 to 1914. He was recalled to Britain when the 1st World War broke out in 1914.
Horace Sampson Roch was appointed Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services (DADMS) for the 28th Division in 1915. The 28th Division was established in January 1915 and was mainly composed of army battalions returning from India, Singapore and Egypt. They arrived in France in January 1915 and then moved on to the Western Front. They were involved in the 2nd Battle of Ypres from the 22nd April to 15th May 1915 and they suffered enormous casualties. This was a battle to take over the strategic Flemish town of Ypres in Western Belgium and was the first time that Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front. The battle itself was inconclusive but there were over 70,000 British casualties and around 36,000 German casualties in the extended 2nd Battle of Ypres.
The 28th Division was involved in the Battle of Loos from 25th September to 14th October 1915. The battle took place near Lens in North East France and was part of a joint French British attempt to break the German defense of Champagne and Artois. It was the biggest British offensive of 1915 and was the first occasion that the British army used poison gas with 140 thousand kilos of chlorine gas released. The use of chlorine gas had mixed results for the British as in some cases the gas blew back into the British trenches. There were big losses on both sides during this battle with almost 60,000 British casualties and around 26,000 German casualties. H.S. Roch was also DADMS of the 7th Divison for a period in 1915-1916 and they were involved in battles at Neuve Chapelle, Aubers, Festubert, Givenchy and also the Battle of Loos.
Horace Sampson Roch was appointed Assistant Director of Medical Services (ADMS) for the 2nd Cavalry Division in 1916. This division was stationed on the Western Front for most of WW1 under the control of Brigadier-General Hubert Gough. They were not involved in any major actions during 1916 but in 1917 they were involved in the Battle of Arras (April 1917), Battle of Cambrai (November 1917), Bourbon Wood (Nov-Dec 1917) and the German counter attack in December 1917. Even though they were essentially a cavalry division they sometimes served in the trenches as dismounted regiments under control of their brigadiers. H.S. Roch won a Distinguished Order Medal (DSO) while serving with the 2nd Cavalry.
Horace Sampson Roch was promoted to colonel in 1917 and was appointed ADMS of the 36th Ulster Division. He remained in the 36th Ulster until the end of the war in 1918. The 36th Ulster under the command of Major-General Oliver Nugent had played a major role in the Battle of the Somme from July to November 1916 and won four of the nine Victoria Cross awards for bravery during that bloody confrontation. There were over 1 million casualties in the Battle of The Somme and it has gone down in history as one of the bloodiest and most brutal battles of all time. In the period from 1917 to the end of the war in 1918 the 36th Ulster Division were involved in a number of actions including the Battle of Cambrai (20/11 to 7/12/1917), the Battle of Messines (7th-14th June 1917), the Battle of Passchendaele (31/7-6/11/1917) and the Battle of Lys (9th to 29th April 1918). The British casualties from these four battles were somewhere between 400,000 and 600,000 men with a similar scale of casualties on the German side. The Battle of Passchendaele, near the Belgian city of Ypres, took place in atrocious weather conditions with rain and mud hampering operations. This battle alone resulted in casualties in excess of half a million men between the Allied and German forces.
Colonel Horace Sampson Roch was awarded the Commander of St Michael & St George (C.M.G) in 1919 and a year later in 1920 was awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E). He was “mentioned in dispatches” on five occasions. This essentially means that H.S. Roch’s name appeared in correspondence between his superior officer and a higher military command outlining some brave or meritorious action carried out by H.S Roch during enemy conflict.
It could be reasonably assumed that Colonel Horace Sampson Roch of Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg would have had enough of war by 1919 as he had had completed twenty years of almost continuous involvement in war from 1899 to 1919. However in 1919 he somewhat surprisingly volunteered for a round of duty in the Russian Civil War (1917-1922) under the auspices of the British Military Mission. In the process he turned down the opportunity of a couple of years in the peaceful and beautiful surroundings of Kinsalebeg. However these must have been difficult personal times for him as his wife of three months, Marjorie Power, died in May 1919 seemingly as a result of the Spanish flu epidemic. He was given the title of Honorary Colonel in the Russian Imperial Army. The Russian Civil war was fought between the Bolshevik “Red Army” and a loose alliance of anti-Bolshevik forces, including Allied Forces, which were called the “White Army”. The Red Army defeated the White Army in the Ukraine, Siberia and later in Crimea and this effectively ended the White Army or White Russian campaign. The old Russian Empire was however breaking up due to many pro-independence movements in this period and countries like Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Estonia broke off and became independent sovereign states. The remainder of the Russian Empire was consolidated into the new Soviet Union.
Colonel H.S. Roch spent two years in Russia from 1919 to 1920. He received the military medals of the French Croix de Guerre and Order of St Anne (2nd class) of Russia. He returned to army service in Mesopotamia and Kurdistan for the years 1921 to 1923 and then returned to India for the following two years. He eventually returned to England in 1926 and was appointed Assistant Director of Medical Services (ADMS) for the East Anglia region. However he was back in India in 1927 and had the position of ADMS for the Lahore area from 1927 to 1930. He was also appointed Honorary Surgeon to the Viceroy of India in this period. Lord Irwin or Edward Frederick Lindley Wood was the Indian Viceroy at that time. It is obvious that H.S. Roch had a strong affection for India and developed a deep interest in all aspects of Indian life. He travelled extensively throughout the country and took part in many trips and walking tours which extended at different stages to climbing in the Himalayas.
Return to Woodbine Hill (1930):
Colonel Roch retired to the family home at Woodbine Hill Kinsalebeg Co Waterford in 1930 at the age of 54 years. He married Emily Helena Crone, daughter of the Rev Alexander Crone of Newry Co Down, on the 17th November 1931 and they had one daughter, Mary Alexandra Roch, who was born on the 17th May 1933. He had a keen and active interest in gardening and spent a considerable amount of his time in the large walled gardens at Woodbine Hill together with head gardener Patsy Hallahan. He was also active in support of various institutions including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the British Legion. He volunteered for service at the age of 62 when the 2nd World War broke out in 1939. He was appointed as president of the medical boards in Northern Ireland and was stationed in Belfast until the war ended in 1945.
Image: Mrs Michael Keane of Springfield, Kinsalebeg wearing traditional clothing. She was wife of Michael Keane (born c 1891) who was coachman at Woodbine Hill. His father Patrick Keane was also a coachman.
Col. Roch was a keen and regular walker during his retirement in Woodbine Hill as indeed he had been during his military & medical careers. He had listed walking and climbing in the Himalayas as a hobby during his periods in India. The gentle hills around Monatray were considerably less taxing than the formidable Himalayas. One of his regular looped walks was from Woodbine Hill down past Kinsalebeg Church, around the Turret, up Brody’s Hill and continuing around the circular road until arriving back at Woodbine Hill. Another regular walk took him from Woodbine Hill and around Whiting Bay. Colonel Roch was usually accompanied by his faithful but less than obedient brown and white collie with the unlikely name of Phil. There were originally two dogs called Lil and Phil, named after Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, but Lil had died in earlier years. Phil had little or no respect for rank and largely ignored the instructions of the Colonel as he chased real and imaginary rabbits on the journey around Monatray. Phil’s intransigence was possibly due to encroaching deafness but we suspect it was more likely due to pure insubordination and an unwillingness to answer to the name Phil. The landscape in Kinsalebeg was dominated by canine colleagues answering to names like Shep, Rusty, Patch, Rover, Spot with the odd Dev or Mick thrown in for those of a more political nature. The incursion of a dog named Phil into this environment was only likely to draw barks of derision and a possible chasing into the next townland! Colonel Roch kept up a high level of fitness throughout his life. On his 82nd birthday he walked from Woodbine Hill to Whiting Bay and then continued onwards around the difficult cliff pathway from Whiting Bay to Ardmore. He had a keen interest in music and one of his party pieces was a black and white minstrel show, complete with banjos, which he performed with his brother George in Woodbine Hill.
In later years Col. Roch and his family would invite the children of the parish of Kinsalebeg to a party in Woodbine Hill around Christmas time. The focus of the party was an expansive meal complete with all the trimmings and no shortage of paper hats and crackers. One of the highlights of the evening was another party piece of Colonel Roch which was a boisterous rendering of Percy French’s “Phil the Fluter’s Ball” accompanied by an energetic jig during the chorus. The song itself runs to about twelve verses and we include just the first few verses here to jog the memory of any of those who may have been present:
Phil the Fluter’s Ball:
Have you heard of Phil the Fluter
From the town of Ballymuck
The times was going hard for him
In fact the man was broke
So he sent an invitation
To his neighbours one and all
As how he'd like their company
That evening at a ball
And when writing out
He was careful to suggest to them
That if they found a hat of his
Convenient to the door
The more they put in
Whenever he requested them
The better would the music be
For battering the floor
Chorus:
With a toot on the flute
And a twiddle on the fiddle-oh
Hopping in the middle
Like a herrin' on the griddle-oh
Up, down, hands around
And crossing to the wall
Sure hadn't we the gaiety
At Phil the Fluter's ball”
Phil the Fluter’s Ball Lyrics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9UVVXPKRyU (Ronnie Drew of Dubliners)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnsV4CvBBhQ (Brendan O’Dowda)
Obituary of Horace Sampson Roch (1960):
Colonel Horace Sampson Roch died in Belfast on 23rd May 1960 and the following was his obituary in the British Medical Journal of 25th June 1960.
Horace Sampson Roch was succeeded in Woodbine Hill by his only daughter, Mary Alexandra Roch, who married William George Perks on the 4th July 1957 in a ceremony which took place in St Mary’s Collegiate Church in Youghal. The wedding was of great interest to the parishioners in Kinsalebeg who were however prohibited from viewing any part of the Protestant ceremony due to the long standing ceremonial stand off between the Protestant and Catholic religions.
Many local people went to see the arrival and departure of the wedding party from St Mary’s Church. However my mother Kitty Lehane and Mary Hunt, one of her friends from Clashmore, were unable to resist the temptation of peering through the church windows in order to get a glimpse of the actual ceremony. This seems a fairly innocent activity with the passing of time but this was not taking into account the diligence of our then local parish priest, Rev David Power. He was not in the least amused by the episode which in his view was at the high end of the scale of mortal sins. He had heard the story first hand in the confession box of course and it was therefore not necessary to establish guilt or innocence. There followed a period when it looked a distinct possibility that the offending duo would be excommunicated with their pathway to heaven cut off permanently. This caused consternation in the Lehane and Hunt households and we were all forced to double up on novenas and decades of the rosary until our prayers were eventually answered. The matter was eventually resolved without the ultimate excommunication penalty being imposed, much to the relief of all concerned.
The memorials to some members of the Roch family of Woodbine Hill are located in the old graveyard in Ardmore adjacent to the Round Tower. The Roch family memorials image above includes memorials to Sampson Roch, Colonel Horace Sampson Roch, his brother George Butler Roch and other family members.
Overview of Miniaturist Sampson Towgood Roch (1759-1847)
Sampson Towgood Roch died in Woodbine Hill in February 1847 and was buried in the Odell family plot in Ardmore on 20th February 1847. He was born deaf and dumb but despite his handicaps he became one of the most renowned miniature painters of the late 18th and early 19th century. The main focus of miniature painters were the miniature portraits which were typically only 7 to 8 centimetres high and required extraordinary precise craftsmanship. Despite his stature as a miniature painter of the late 18th and early 19th century Sampson Towgood Roch is not widely known in his native land. The National Gallery in Dublin has seven of his miniatures which are not on public display but can be viewed on request. The Ulster Folk Museum has a selection of his water colours depicting early 19th century life in Ireland. His work can also be found in Bath and other British museums but the overall impression seems to indicate that much of his work is held in private collections which may explain his relative obscurity. Sampson Towgood Roch was son of William Roch & Mary Lane and his place of birth is variously given as Lehard (Lahard) or Youghal Co Cork in 1757. His father, William Roch, was a son of James “The Swimmer” Roch of Glynn Castle in Waterford and William was born in Glynn Castle but his residence was indicated as Lehard in Co Cork at the time of his marriage to Mary Lane (Burke’s Landed Gentry 1863).
Sampson Roch was living in Dublin in 1779 and one record has him living in 13 Capel Street, Dublin. He appears to have been either self-taught or taught privately as there is no record of studying at either university or Dublin Society's Drawing School. By 1782 Sampson Roch was well established as a miniaturist painter in Dublin and also during this period he travelled to/from England to work. On one of his trips to England in 1782 he painted a miniature of Hester Lynch Thrale nee Salusbury (1741-1821) who was married to Henry Thrale, a London brewer. She was a British diarist and patron of the arts who became well known for her close association with writer Dr Samuel Johnson. Her diaries were later to become an important source of information on the writings and anecdotes of Samuel Johnson, who by all accounts wanted to marry Hester Thrale when her first husband died in 1781. Hester Thrale however married an Italian musician Gabriel Mario Piozzi in July 1784 and Samuel Towgood Roch later painted another miniature of the now Mrs Piozzi in 1816.
In 1784 he was resident for a period at 152 Capel Street Dublin and it was in this period that he came in contact with the painter Horace Hone. Horace Hone (1756-1825) was a member of the talented artistic Hone family of Dublin and was also a miniature painter. Horace Hone was born in London and received his early training in fine arts from his father, Nathaniel Hone, and had exhibited at the Royal Academy at the age of sixteen in 1772. Horace Hone returned to Dublin in 1782 on the invitation of Lady Temple who was an influential member of the Anglo Irish aristocracy with a lot of connections which ensured that Hone had a steady supply of portrait commissions. Sampson Towgood Roch came into the sphere of influence of Horace Hone in this period and no doubt benefited from the experience and wide range of contacts of Hone and his patron Lady Temple. In many ways their careers ran in tandem over the succeeding decades. Between 1786 and 1788 Sampson Roch was living in Cork and on 29th May 1787 he married his cousin Melian Roch at St Mary’s Collegiate Church in Youghal. Melian Roch was a daughter of James Roch, an uncle of Sampson, by his first wife Isabella Odell. Sampson Towgood Roch and his wife Melian Roch shared the same grandfather in James Roch who was known as “The Swimmer” Roch after his exploits at the Siege of Derry. James “The Swimmer” Roch was married twice and Sampson Towgood & Melian Roch had a different grandmother on that side of the family.
Sampson Towgood and Melian Roch returned to live in Dublin in 1788 and from 1789 to 1792 they lived in Grafton Street, Dublin. They subsequently emigrated to Bath, England in 1792. Sampson Towgood Roch established a formidable reputation as a miniature painter in the period he spent in Bath from 1792 to 1822. In Bath he had a large practice of distinguished clients and also obtained several royal commissions including a miniature painting of H.R.H Princess Amelia (1783-1810) who was youngest daughter of King George III. This particular Roch (spelled Roche in the catalogue) miniature was part of an exhibition of 3081 portrait miniatures exhibited at South Kensington Museum in London in June 1865 which demonstrates the popularity of miniature portraiture in this period. It was the only Roch miniature in the exhibition and was in the possession of H.R.H The Duke of Cambridge at the time. Princess Amelia was the youngest and favourite daughter of King George III and her premature death at the age of twenty seven in 1810 was reputed to have triggered the illness and subsequent decline into insanity of King George III. It was a measure of Roch’s stature as a miniature painter that he obtained commissions to paint members of the Royal family. He was offered a knighthood but apparently declined as he felt it was inappropriate in view of his disabilities. Sampson Towgood Roch returned to the family home in Woodbine Hill in 1822 and continued to paint portraits and also to paint scenes of everyday life in rural Ireland particularly in the vicinity of Woodbine Hill. These are important and unique records of pre-famine Ireland particularly in the Kinsalebeg area of West Waterford. He died on 20th February 1847 in Woodbine Hill and is buried in the family vault in the church at Ardmore. His wife Melian died on 21st September 1837.
The following overview of Sampson Towgood Roch appeared in a leading Oxford journal in December 1933:
"Sampson Towgood Roche (Roch) was an Irishman, born in Youghal, Co Cork in 1759. He was deaf and dumb. He studied art in Dublin, but does not seem to have been a regular student under any painter in particular. His name appears in Dublin in 1784 as a painter, but there is in existence a miniature of Mrs Piozzi, dated 1782. He left Dublin for Bath in 1792. He practiced there for several years; many members of the royal family were among his subjects. He is said to have been offered a knighthood, which honour he declined, owing, no doubt, to his infirmity. In 1817 he sent one or two exhibits to the Royal Academy, this being the only time he exhibited his work there. Some years later he retired to Woodbine Hill, Co Waterford, where he passed the rest of his life, dying there in 1847. He was buried at Ardmore, Co Waterford. These are the chief facts of his life, but a very full account is to be found in Strickland's 'Dictionary of Irish Artists' 1931, 2 vols. This account also contains a short list of some of his miniatures. A portrait [self-portrait ?] of Roche is also to be found in the same work."
Sample of Work of Sampson Towgood Roch:
Sampson Towgood Roch was a prolific artist. The following are some examples of his work including rural drawings, miniatures, watercolours and sketches including some black and white sketches which were possibly work in progress. Some of the rural and fishing scenes were from around the Kinsalebeg area where he spent the last twent five years of his life between 1822 and 1847. Many of the images show ordinary Irish working people in the period before the famine and show details of clothing, tools and crafts of people in the early part of the 19th century. A feature of Roch’s work was his consistently excellent technique and his attention to detail in the difficult genre of miniature paintings. Many of his portrait miniatures depict the subject with the trace of a smile in the manner of the Mona Lisa and it is assumed that this was an intentional characteristic of his style. His rural drawings often depicted people of small stature with tall hats and short legs which did not accurately mirror the athletic high fielding Kinsalebeg warriors who graced the Gaelic football pitches of Waterford later in the 19th century! Sampson Towgood Roch was undoubtedly a major artist and in the top echelon of miniature painters. He lived in a period when miniature painting was in its prime and the leading Irish miniaturists at the time were Horace Hone (1756-1825), Charles Robertson (1760-1821), George Place (1775-1809) and Sampson Towgood Roch (1759-1847). Their work compared favourably with the best English miniaturists of the time such as Richard Cosway (1742-1821), John Smart (1740-1811) and George Engleheart (1750-1829). The Irish miniaturists such as Hone and Roch all practiced in England at different stages of their careers and their success can be measured to a degree by the prestigious commissions they were awarded to paint members of the British Royal Family. Paul E Caffrey gives a detailed overview of the career of Roch in an Irish Arts Review article18 in 1986 and we defer to his greater knowledge for a description of his painting style. The article includes the following excerpts which describe his work:
“Roch’s work is characterized by the excellence of his technique and style, which vary little throughout his long career, and the superb quality of his handling of detail such as jewellery, hair, costume, and the overall finish and minuteness of brushstrokes”.
“These scenes of rustic life display a degree of fantasy and wit, of artistic personality, and a readiness and fluency in draftsmanship, which would have enabled him to develop in several different artistic directions, had claims on his artistic skills been different”.
“The versatilty and facility of Roch’s technique, and the perceptiveness and humour of his intelligence and eye, explain his ability to take what could, for other artists, have been the conventional and often unispiring genre of miniature portraiture, and to illumine and revivify it, producing miniatures whose quality and worth are even more appreciated today, when the history of miniature portraiture in Ireland is apparent, than was the case at the time they were painted.”
It is now widely accepted that Sampson Towgood Roch deserves a much higher profile than that which he has been accorded over the past two centuries. This is partly attributed to the fact that much of his work is held in private collections but may also be due to the innate modesty of Kinsalebeg people!
Overview of Novelist Regina Maria Roch (1769-1845)
Regina Maria Roche (Roch) nee Dalton was a popular Gothic novelist of the late eighteenth century. She was a contemporary of the novelist Ane Radcliffe. Regina Maria Dalton was born in Waterford in August 1769 but a lot of records show her birth year as 1764 which would appear to be incorrect as this would have been before the arrival of her father Blundell Dalton to Ireland and also before the marriage of Blundell Dalton and Mary Anne Lambe on 20th March 1767. In 1792 Regina Maria Dalton married Ambrose Roch of the Glynn Castle & Woodbine Hill family. Ambrose Roch was a son of William Roch and Mary Lane and a great grandson of James “The Swimmer” Roch.
Gothic fiction, sometimes referred to as Gothic horror, was a form of literature that combined aspects of both romance and horror. Gothic novels featured combinations of elements such the supernatural, mystery, poisonings, haunted castles, secret societies, violent death, madness, villians, werewolves, romance, skeletons, vampires, tyrants and persecuted women. It is generally said to have been started by Horace Walpole with his Castle of Otranto novel of 1764. Regina Maria Roch was author of one of the most popular books of fiction of that period namely "The Children of the Abbey" which was a major success commercially. She would have been a contemporary of the more widely known novelist Ann Radcliffe, who was also a Gothic novelist, and their books often competed in the popularity stakes. Regina Maria Roche’s third novel “The Children of the Abbey” was as popular as Ann Radcliffe’s most famous fourth novel “The Mysteries of Udolpho”. Jane Austen indirectly acknowledged the influence of writers such as Regina Roch in her own work even though she often parodied this form of literature particularly in her own novel “Northanger Abbey” published in 1818. The Gothic novel contrasted sharply with the popular general romantic novels of the period and was often ignored by critics of the period. This was partly due to the involvement of publishers such as the Minerva Press of William Lane which published some of Roche’s earlier novels. Minerva Press was seen at the time as a more "sensationalist" type of publisher with a focus on mass circulation. Most novel writers and indeed readers in this period were female and a focus on the violent and macabre was felt by other female writers to be a dereliction of female sensibilities. The Gothic novels were considered to be politically unacceptable by many at the time and the authors were quite often derided. Poetry at the time was considered to be a higher form of art and men of the period professed never to read novels. Of course the popularity of writers such as Roch and Radcliffe also incurred a degree of envy. In any case it was many years later when Gothic literature attained the critical acclaim and popularity denied it years earlier. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is another Gothic novel from that period which has achieved a high level of popularity in later years.
Regina Maria Roche published her first novel "The Vicar of Lansdowne" in 1789 and her final novel "The Nun's Picture: A tale" in 1834. The following is a list of her novels:
1789 The Vicar of Lansdowne: or Country Quarters: A tale;
1793 The Maid of the Hamlet: A tale
1796 The Children of the Abbey
1798 Clermont: A tale
1800 The Nocturnal Visit: A tale
1807 Alvondown Vicarage
1807 The Discarded Son: or Haunt of the Banditti: A tale
1810 The Houses of Osma and Almeria: or Convent of St. Ildefonso: A tale
1813 The Monastery of St. Colomb: or The Atonement: A tale
1814 Trecothick Bower: or The Lady of the West Country: A tale
1820 The Munster Cottage Boy: A tale
1823 Bride of Dunamore: and Lost and Won: Two tales
1824 The Tradition of the Castle: or Scenes in the Emerald Isle
1825 The Castle Chapel: A romantic tale
1828 Contrast
1834 The Nun's Picture: A tale
Regina and Ambrose Roch spent the latter part of the 18th century in England and this period concurred with her earlier novels. The family of Regina Maria Roche had some financial difficulties around 1800 and this is sometimes attributed to the scarcity of output in that period. Her father Blundell Dalton's estate was badly managed by a solicitor named Boswell and was laid in Chancery for over a decade. In addition her husband Ambrose Roch encountered financial problems which eventually bankrupted him. Regina returned to Waterford after the death of her husband in 1829 and she lived on The Mall in Waterford until her death on 15th March 1845 (or 17th May 1845 depending on source). She wrote another eleven novels after her return to Waterford in 1829 but none of them achieved the popularity of her earlier novels. She suffered from depression and died in relative obscurity in Waterford in 1845. Her funeral was in St Patricks Church of Ireland in Waterford and her obituary in The Gentleman’s Magazine described her as:
“a distinguished writer [who] had retired from the world and the world had forgotten her. But many young hearts, now old, must remember the effect upon them of her graceful and touching compositions”.
Ancestors of the Rochs of Woodbine Hill
The ancestors of the Roch (pronounced Roche) family of Woodbine Hill, Prospect Hall, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford can be traced back for approximately 27 generations from the present family in Woodbine Hill. The family name goes through a number of variations in the period including De Rochville, de Rupe, de la Roche, Roche and finally Roch. These are all essentially translations of the same name “de la Roche (French)” and “de Rupe (Latin)” both mean “of the Rock” in English. It will not be possible to go into any great detail of this history which goes back over 1000 years to the period preceding the Battle of Hastings in 1066. We will therefore focus on an overview of the period coupled with a more detailed history of selected members of the Roch family connected with Woodbine Hill. The following is a brief synopsis of the various generations of the Roch family with notes on some key events and individuals. Some of the family details are replicated in the main Roch history but are included here for completeness of the ancestry tree. As with many genealogical histories there are other variations of the details shown here but we have attempted to produce as accurate a history as possible from the often conflicting available information sources. It is not a genealogy of the Roch family overall, which is too large to include here, but focuses mainly on the Woodbine Hill branch of the family. The most important part of the Roch of Woodbine Hill genealogy commences with James “The Swimmer” in the following summary. The references to Roch life events in Woodbine Hill before 1782 are probably incorrect as it is believed that the Roch family did not take up residence in Woodbine Hill until after 1782. The genealogical information in the following is primarily derived from Burke’s Dictionary of Landed Gentry 185519. Appendix A contains the original images from this publication.
Generation 1: Ruling House of Lorraine
Generation 2: Le Sire De Rochville was one of the earliest recorded ancestors of the Roch family. It is understood that he was directly descended from the ruling House of Lorraine in Flanders. In the 1066 invasion he accompanied the Duke of Normandy to England and his name appears amongst those who fought in the Battle of Hastings. As a result of the above he received a number of lordships around St Davids, Pembrokeshire in Wales. The Rupe Roch family had played a significant role in the English settlement of Pembrokeshire and were large landowners in the area. Adam de Rupe built the original Roch Castle near St Davids in Wales in the 2nd half of the 13th century. Roch Castle was probably built as a fortress separating the English and Welsh areas of Pembrokeshire. The presence of the Rupe (Roch) family in the area ended around 1420 and the castle changed ownership a number of times – it was in the possession of the Walter family around 1642.
Generation 3: Henri De Rupe was a son of Sire De Rochville and his sons were Adam, David and Henry de Rupe
Generation 4: Adam, David and Henry de Rupe (Roch) came to Ireland from Pembrokeshire at the time of the Norman invasion in the period of 1170-1180. The various branches of the Roch/Roche in Ireland are descended from these three brothers. Adam De Rupe was apparently part of Strongbow’s Anglo-Norman invasion force of Ireland in 1170. This was the start of the Roch family involvement in Ireland. They were really Cambro-Normans as distinct from Anglo-Normans as their background was French & Welsh and they had no English/Anglo background. At the end of the invasion Adam de Rupe received territories in the Rosscarbery and Kinsale areas of Cork and in 1178 he built a castle on the river Bandon near Kinsale called Castlelough. When Prince John came to Ireland in 1185 he was entertained by Adam de Rupe from Waterford where he landed and also at Lismore and Ardfinnan. Prince John conferred the grants of additional land to him at the time including the cantred of Rosscarbery.
Generation 5: Sir Richard de Rupe, son of Adam de Rupe, was born in Poole Castle. He married Amy Flemming, only daughter of Sir William Flemming Lord of Armoy or Fermoy and with his bride he received the district, which being raised in a barony, gave the title Lord Roch to himself and his descendants. He also built a second stately castle called Dunderrow in Cork. The Roch family displaced the ruling O’Learys (Hi Laeghairi) in this area and this was the pattern of displacement in this period with the Anglo-Cambro-Norman invaders taking over the lands and property of the native Irish. In a similar manner for example the Barrys displaced the Lehanes (Ui Liathain) from the Castlelyons (Caislean Ui Liathain) area of East Cork.
Generation 6: Sir Richard FitzRichard de Rupe was son of Richard de Rupe and Amy Flemming. He was Lord Justice of Ireland between 1261 and 1267. He was recalled to England by King Henry III to assist with disturbances taking place at the time. He built the Dominican Abbey at Glanworth in 1227 close to his father’s castle and also built a Cistercian abbey in Fermoy called “Our Lady de Castro Dei”. The Cistercian monks were brought from Suir Abbey in Tipperary with some additional monks coming from Furness Abbey in Lancashire.
Generation 7: Lord Hugh de Rupe or Baron Roch of Fermoy was son of Sir Rich FitzRichard de Rupe and was also born in Poole Castle. By all accounts Baron Roch of Fermoy spent most of his life in conflict with the local Irish chieftains until his death in 1300.
Generation 8: David FitzHugh Roch, Baron Roch of Fermoy son of Hugh de Rupe was born in Poole Castle and died about 1314. He was summoned to the parliament held in Dublin at the beginning of the reign of Henry III. He defeated Sir Maurice Condon in a bitter battle in 1308 and killed Sir Maurice Condon in the process. It was alleged that Maurice Condon had been responsible for murdering Sir Richard Taloun, a friend of David FitzHugh Roch. William Roch was murdered in Dublin three years later as an apparent reprisal for the killing of Maurice Condon.
Generation 9: Baron George FitzHugh Roch and later Lord Roch of Fermoy was son of David FitzHugh Roch and he was also born in Poole Castle. When the Scots, under Edward the Bruce, invaded Ireland in 1315 Lord Roch united his forces with those of Sir Richard De Mortimer the Lord Justice against the invaders. At one point he refused to attend the parliament and was fined 200 marks.
Generation 10: Alexander FitzHugh Roch, Lord Roch of Fermoy was son of George FitzHugh Roch and the following notes on him are taken from Burkes peerage:
“In 1314 he founded Bridgetown, near the confluence of the rivers Awbeg and Blackwater an abbey. The house was munificently endowed by the Roch family, and opposite the great altar is the founder’s tomb, having the armorial bearings, but destitute of inscription; the whole being encompassed by an arch of beautiful construction (ref: Dugdale’s Monasticon). Here, on Lord Roch’s death in 1335, he was buried, being succeeded by his son David FitzAlexander Roch.”
Bridgetown Abbey was a 13th century Augustinian monastery of the priors of St Victor.
Generation 11: David FitzAlexander Roch (died 1361) or Lord Roch of Fermoy was son of Alexander FitzHugh Roch. He built the Castle of Ballyhorley on the river Blackwater. In 1330 he was summoned to the English court by King Edward II to assist at the knighthood ceremony of the Prince of Wales. He was also present at the wedding of the princess royal and King Edward II bestowed on him the castle of Guynes. He apparently fought in the Battle of Allo in 1335 where Dermot Og McCarthy, King of Cork was slain.
Note: There are variations in the Roch coat of arms and some include the osprey with a roach in its claws as shown above.
Generation 12: William FitzDavid Roch, Lord Roch of Fermoy, was son of David FitzAlexander Roch. In 1370 he was made sheriff of the county of Cork, seneschal of Imokilly barony and governor of Youghal. He died in 1383 and was succeeded by his eldest son James FitzWilliam Roch who died without progeny in 1442 and was succeeded by his brother Maurice FitzWilliam Roch who died 1493.
Generation 13: Maurice FitzWilliam Roch, Lord Roch of Fermoy, was appointed sheriff of the county of Cork in 1433. According to some historical records he built castles in various parts of his large land holding including Shian’s Castle near Lismore, Glynn (Glin) Castle near Carrick-on-Suir, Tourin & Cappoquin castles on the river Blackwater in Waterford. However authoritative sources indicate that Glynn (Glin) castle was built by the Butlers and that Shian (Shean) and Cappoquin castles were built by the Fitzgeralds who lost them during the Munster plantation. Additionally there are conflicting historical records concerning the first presence of the Roche family in Tourin with some records indicating that the first presence of Roches in Tourin was in the time of Edmond Roche who was leasing Tourin from the Walter Raleigh estate around 1604. Glynn and Tourin castles in particular played a large part in lives of future generations of Roch family. In 1445 he gave testimony in favour of the Earl of Ormond and in the 1461 rebellion he was involved in a big battle with the forces of Morrogh O’Brien, Prince of Thomond, at Mallar. Maurice FitzWilliam Roch had several sons. His two eldest sons, along with eight knights of his family, were slain in England during the War of the Roses and this apparently had a devastating effect on him for the remainder of his life. He was succeeded in his estates and titles by his third and fourth sons Ulick Alexander Roch and George Roch. Ulick Alexander Roch died in 1500 as a result of injuries received by a fall from his horse. There are a number of variations on Roche genealogy in the next few generations and we are aware that there are differences even in authoritative sources such as Burke’s landed gentry.
Roche Viscounts of Fermoy: The twelve Roch Viscounts of Fermoy commence with David Roche 1st Viscount Fermoy, son of Maurice Roch, who was was known as David “The Great”. These are not directly in the Woodbine Hill line of Roch ancestors and we include just for reference. The full list of Roche Vicounts of Fermoy is as follows:
(1) David “The Great” Roche 1st Viscount Fermoy
(2) Maurice Roche 2nd Viscount Fermoy
(3) David Roche 3rd Viscount Fermoy
(4) Maurice “The Mad” Roche 4th Viscount Fermoy
(5) David Roche 5th Viscount Fermoy
(6) Maurice Roche 6th Viscount Fermoy
(7) David Roche 7th Viscount Fermoy
(8) Maurice Roche 8th Viscount Fermoy
(9) David Roche 9th Viscount Fermoy
(10) John Roche 10th Viscount Fermoy
(11) David Roche 11th Viscount Fermoy
(12) Ulick Roche 12th Viscount Fermoy
Generation 14: George Roch, Lord Roch of Fermoy, returned from England to succeed his brother after his untimely death. He had built up considerable military experience in England. He was murdered near Liscarroll in 1517 apparently as he was endeavouring to force a pass through the mountains in that area. His wife Mary Roch nee O’Brien died shortly afterwards and the two orphan sons were put in the care of their uncle Maurice, afterwards Lord Fermoy.
Note: It is disputed whether there was a George Roch, Lord of Fermoy or indeed a George Roch of Tourin even though references appear in Burke’s peerage.
Generation 15: John Roch (born 1507) nicknamed “The Happy” was the eldest of the two orphaned sons of George & Mary Roch. The two orphans were to remain in the care of their uncle Maurice Roch, who assumed control of their inheritance, until such time as John reached maturity. In the eventuality John “The Happy” Roch never succeeded to his inheritance which remained in his uncle’s care. At the age of 14 in 1521 he was present at the Battle of Mourne Abbey, under his uncle’s care – he was later knighted. He was present at the festivities surrounding the marriage of his cousin the Lady Mary Roch to James 15th Earl of Desmond. The festivities lasted for thirty days apparently and John Roch, now Knight of Tourin, delighted those present with his displays of tilting at which he defeated every opponent. John “The Happy” Roch was offered the return of his “ancestral style and dignities” but declined on the basis that he did not wish to disturb the union between the houses of Fermoy and Desmond. John Roch Knight of Tourin married Johanna FitzGerald, daughter of the Lord of Strancally in 1535. He died quite young and was succeeded by his son James Roch. Considering the tragedies and early deaths that had befallen many of those close to him, including his parents and uncles, it would appear that John “The Happy” Roch had a very positive and balanced view of life. He was a larger than life character and very much the “soul of the party” thus his apt nickname. His decision to forego his large inheritance, to ensure the stability of the newly formed Desmond and Fermoy marriage alliance, must have been a momentous decision at the time.
Generation 16: James Roch (died about 1567) was son of John “The Happy” Roch and Johanna FitzGerald. He married Lady Margaret Butler of the House of Ormond.
Generation 17: Theobold Roch of Tourin & Cregg was son of James & Margaret Roch and he married Lady Ellen FitzGerald. The period from 1550 to 1700 was an extremely difficult period in Irish history and was a period of many violent conflicts. There were many complicating issues aside from the normal England v Ireland and Catholic v Protestant conflicts. Many of the Anglo Norman and old Irish families were intermarried and new relationships had been formed between traditional opponents – in the case of the Roch family the marriages between the Houses of Desmond, Ormond, Fermoy and Strancally as an example had resulted in new relationships. The English civil war in this period complicated issues even more with many old Irish chieftains finding themselves in the unusual situation of supporting King Charles I against the puritanical forces of Cromwell and others. The marriage of King Charles I to a Catholic princess had caused consternation amongst the Protestant ascendancy and this coupled with other related issues had resulted in a puritanical backlash resulting in a civil war between the forces of the King and those of the English & Scottish Parliaments. It was a period when the “parish rule” was apparently not being enforced as people “changed sides” on a regular basis depending on changing fortunes and outcomes. Theobold Roch was brought before an inquisition at Shandon Castle in Cork on 9th September 1588 by the then Captain Raleigh to answer the charge that he had been supporting the Earl of Desmond’s rebellion, a not unlikely situation considering the intermarriage between the families. In the event he managed to convince the inquisition of his loyalty and escaped with his life. Theobold Roch did subsequently lose some of his lands to Walter Raleigh as a result of the above and also as a result of his son Maurice Roch’s support of the Lord of Strancally. He had also apparently sent Geoffrey MacSweeney to the relief of the titular Earl of Desmond, James FitzThomas FitzGerald, in 1598 with a purse of gold. The period from the 1641 rebellion onwards was an extremely difficult and uncertain time for the Roch family. George Roch was the eldest and successor of the five sons of Theobold Roch & Ellen FitzGerald namely George, John, Maurice, Ulick and David Roch.
Generation 18: George Roch was the eldest son of Theobold & Ellen Roch and succeeded his father. He was one of five brothers namely George (Glynn), Ulick (Glynn), John (Tourin), David (Cork estates) and Maurice. The Roch family supported the Irish Catholic & Royalist Confederation in the war against the Cromwell led Parliamentarians and as a result lost most of their Irish estates. George and John Roch were the only two brothers to survive the 1641 rebellion and George died of his wounds in exile in 1658 and was succeeded by his infant son James. James Roch was raised under the care of his uncle John Roch who was now the only survivor of the five sons of Theobold and Ellen Roch.
Generation 19: James Roch was the only son and successor of George Roch of Glynn and was born in 1657 at Kinsale. He was more commonly known as “The Swimmer” Roch for his exploits on the Williamite side in the Siege of Derry. He received a reward of the Ferries of Ireland and fifteen forfeited estates for his actions in the siege of Derry. He later lost his estates as a result of the Act of Resumption of 1700. The reward of the ferries of Ireland was also a mixed blessing partly due to the fact that they were of course widely dispersed throughout the country but also because there were disputed rights issues with many of the incumbent owners. This whole process led to long drawn out legal disputes and James Roch had to make numerous representations to parliament for recompense. He eventually received Glynn Castle and estate near Carrick-on-Suir in a 1696 patent and this subesequently became the Roch home. In 1693 James Roch married Susan Gough who was the granddaughter of Francis Gough, Bishop of Limerick from 1624 to 1634. They had two children namely William, who died aged 28 in 1723, and Mary. James Roch secondly married a widow Elizabeth Hanbury nee Hamerton on 20th July 1700 and they had one son also called James. James “The Swimmer” Roch was the high sheriff of Waterford in 1714 and died at Glynn Castle on 12th December 1723. James “The Swimmer” Roch was succeeded by James Roch, a son from his second marriage to Elizabeth Hamerton. His natural successor would have been William Roch, a son of his first marriage to Susan Gough, but he died in the same year as his father in 1723. We cover in greater detail the life of James Roch elsewhere and in particular his involvement in events surrounding and following the Siege of Derry.
Generation 20: William Roch was the only son of James Roch “The Swimmer” by his first marriage to Susan Gough, granddaughter of the Bishop of Limerick. William Roch died at the age of 28 on 29th July 1723 and his son James Roch died the following day on the 30th July 1723 when he was around 9 months of age. In effect James Roch, son of James “The Swimmer” Roch & his 2nd wife Elizabeth Hamerton, succeeded his father. He was born about 1702 in Glynn Castle and died in Dungarvan on 28th Jan 1741. This James Roch married firstly Anna Maria Hamerton and they had one son, yet another James Roch, who was born about 1722 in Glin Castle and who later succeeded his father. He secondly married Melian Pomeroy, daughter of Thomas Pomeroy and Audriah Towgood, and they had four children Melian, William, Luke and Audriah. Of these four children Luke Roch married Elizabeth Waring – he became a Lieutenant in the army and was subsequently a collector of taxes in Kilkenny City. Melian Roch married Beverley Ussher and Audriah married Edward Matthew Jones who was a collector of taxes in Youghal. William married Mary Lane and one of their children was Sampson Towgood Roch who was a renowned miniature painter who died in Woodbine Hill. Further details of the life of Samuel Towgood Roch are covered elsewhere in this history. Ambrose Roch, another son of William Roch & Mary Lane, married Regina Maria Dalton from Mooncoin who become a highly popular novelist of the late 18th century. James Roch, son of James “The Swimmer” Roch and Elizabeth Hamerton, died on the 28th January 1741. He was succeeded by the son of his first marriage to Anna Maria Hamerton – yet another James Roch.
Generation 21: James Roch was son of James Roch and his 1st wife Anna Maria Hamerton. He was born about 1722 in Glynn Castle and died in 1792 at Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg Co Waterford. In 1747 he firstly married firstly Isabella Odell who was a daughter of John Osborne Odell of Mount Odell. They had four children including yet another James Roch who was born about 1750. Their second child was Melian (born c 1757) who married her cousin, the famous miniature painter Sampson Towgood Roch. Their third child John Roch was born about 1752 and their fourth child Luke was born at Odell Lodge about 1752. The three sons James, John and Luke joined the army and all apparently died while on overseas service. James Roch secondly married in 1781 Mary Cotter who was previously married to Thomas Welsh of Killongford Co Waterford. Thomas Welsh possibly had a Kinsalebeg connection in that it would appear that he may have been related to the famous Walshs of Pilltown even though it has not yet been possible to identify the exact relationship. James Roch and Mary Cotter nee Walsh had one son namely George Butler Roch who was born in Woodbine Hill on 23rd May 1785. As a mark of respect to his grandfather, Colonel James “The Swimmer” Roch, James Roch was invited by the then Corporation of Londonderry to visit their city. He was entertained at a public dinner and received the freedom of the city in a gold box valued 40 guineas. James Roch died at Woodbine Hill in 1792 and was succeeded by his only surviving son George Butler Roch.
Generation 22: George Butler Roch was a son of James Roch and his 2nd wife Mary Cotter, widow of Thomas Welsh of Killongford Co Waterford. He was born on 23rd May 1784 and on the 23rd October 1813 he married Jane Wilkinson, daughter of William Wilkinson. They had eight children namely Melian, George, James, Mary, Sampson, Sarah, Jane and Selina. Details of the family of George Butler and Jane Roch are covered elsewhere but we include a summary here for completeness. Melian Roch was born on the 8th April 1816 at Woodbine Hill and married Henry Downes Sheppard at Kinsalebeg Church on the 1st January 1842. Henry Downes Sheppard was a son of Anthony Robinson Sheppard and Audriah Downes and was a captain in the 19th Madras Native Infantry. Melian Sheppard nee Roch died on 1st Nov 1891 and her husband died on 25th February 1883. They are both buried in Kinsalebeg Church, Co Waterford.
George Roch was born in Woodbine Hill on the 15th April 1819 and he succeeded his father George Butler Roch when his father died in 1859. George Roch married Harriet St Leger Purcell on the 18th July 1874 but died without issue on the 3rd July 1894. He was succeeded at Woodbine Hill by his brother Sampson Roch. James Roch was born in Woodbine Hill on the 12th Sept 1822. He married Mary Jane Melen, daughter of John Melen, on the 24th Feb 1851. Mary Roch born about 1825 in Woodbine Hill and died in Woodbine Hill 19th Jan 1892. Sampson Roch born in Woodbine Hill on the 29th June 1829 and married Agnes Brown on the 21st Oct 1869. He succeeded his brother George at Woodbine Hill in 1894 and died on the 9th Nov 1906. Sarah Roch was born in Woodbine Hill about 1833 but died young. Jane Roch was born in Woodbine Hill about 1833 and married Henry Peard of Carrigeen Hall Co Cork. She died on the 22nd October 1905. Selina Roch was born in Woodbine Hill about 1835 and married John Downes Sheppard about 1855.
John Sheppard was a Commander in the Indian Navy and was a brother of Henry Downes Sheppard who married Melian Roch, a sister of Selina. The Sheppard brothers, Henry Downes and John Downes Sheppard, lived for a period on opposite sides of Youghal Bay in Monatray House and Carlton Place respectively. The story is told that they used to have regular conversations using morse code across Youghal Bay. Selina Sheppard nee Roch died on the 23rd January 1892. George Butler Roch died in June 1859 and was succeeded by his son George.
Generation 23: George Roch of Woodbine Hill was son of George Butler Roch and Jane Wilkinson and was born at Woodbine Hill on 15th April 1819. He was a Justice of the Peace (JP) and Deputy Lieutenant (DL) for Waterford. On the 18th July 1874 he married Harriett St Leger of Rochestown Wood Co Cork who was a daughter of Richard Harris Purcell of Annabella & Burnfort Park Cork. Harriett was not a country girl and did not move to Woodbine Hill as she believed it was too far removed from bustling city life. George Roch died on 3rd July 1894 and as he had no children he was succeeded by his brother Sampson Roch. Sampson Roch of Woodbine Hill was a son of George Butler Roch and Jane Wilkinson and was born 29th June 1829 in Woodbine Hill. He married Agnes Brown in St John The Evangelist, Notting Hill London on 21st October 1869. He received his medical training in Trinity College and served in the army medical area from 1854 to 1882. Sampson Roch saw active service in Sebastopol, Mamelon, Bengal, Mauritius, Madagascar and Abyssinia. After the army he became Medical Officer for Health in Cheltenham and retired to Woodbine Hill in 1892. Sampson and Agnes Roch had three sons namely George Butler, Henry Leslie and Horace Sampson Roch. George Butler Roch was born in Bengal India on 2nd August 1871/72 and was a Captain in the Royal Artillery. George Butler Roch succeeded his father but died unmarried on the Isle of Wight on 30th March 1905. Henry Leslie Roch was also born in Bengal on 18th March 1874 and died unmarried on 16th March 1936. Horace Sampson Roch was the third son of Sampson and Agnes Roch. He was born in Kilkenny on 13th August 1876 and succeeded his brother George in Woodbine Hill in 1905. Sampson Roch died on 9th November 1906 and his wife Agnes Roch nee Brown died on 2nd April 1922. He was succeeded by his youngest son Horace Sampson Roch.
Generation 24: Col. Horace Sampson Roch was son of Sampson Roch and Agnes Brown. He was born in Woodbine Hill Co Waterford on the 13th August 1876 and having received a medical education he joined the army in a medical capacity like his father. He was a member of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) and a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (LRCP). He married firstly Marjorie Power, eldest daughter of Robert Power, on 15th February 1919 but she died a short time afterwards on the 9th May 1919 during the Spanish flu epidemic. He subsequently married Emily Helena Crone, daughter of the Rev Alexander Crone of Newry Co Down, on the 17th November 1931. Rev Alexander Crone was a curate in Clashmore in 1901 and also served as a curate in Kinsalebeg in 1904. Horace Sampson Roch served in the Royal Army Medical Corps RAMC) and became Assistant Director of Medical Services (ADMS) in India 1927-30. He served in the South African Boer War of 1899-1902, in the Great War 1915-1918, in the British Military Mission to Russia of 1919-1920 and he also served for a period in Kurdistan in 1923. He served as Assistant Director of Medical Services (ADMS) in India from 1927 to 1930. His spent the 1st World War with the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC). The RAMC was a specialist corps in the British Army which was responsible for providing medical services to army personnel and their families in both peace time and war time. Lieutenant Colonel Horace Sampson Roch received the military medals of the French Croix de Guerre and Order of St Anne (2nd class) of Russia. He received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) award in the New Years Honours List of 1917. He was awarded the Companion or Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1919. In 1920 he also received the honour of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Horace Sampson Roch and Emily Helena Crone had one daughter Mary Alexandra Roch who was born on the 17th May 1933. Horace Sampson Roch died on 23rd May 1960 and his wife Emily Helena died on 18th March 1989. Their only daughter Mary Alexandra Roch was their successor in Woodbine Hill.
Generation 25: Mary Alexandra Roch was a daughter of Horace Sampson Roch and Emily Helena Crone. She was born in Woodbine Hill on 17th May 1933 and married William George Perks of Youghal on 4th July 1957.
Generation 26: Children of Mary Alexandra & George Roch-Perks
Generation 27: Grandchildren of Mary Alexandra & George Roch-Perks
Bibliography
1 ^ Land Registry lease deed of Bernard/ Barrett dated 1788.
Land Registry Ref: 482/193/306229
2 ^ a b Landed estates database of NUI Galway. See www.landedestates.ie
3 The Placenames of the Decies by Rev. Canon Power. Published in 1907 (later updated by Alfred O’Rahilly of UCC in 1952).
4 ^ a b c Valuation Office, ILAC Centre Dublin. See www.valoff.ie
5 A Memoir of James Bernard M.P. and his son, The First Earl of Bandon.
Author James Francis Bernard, published 1876. NLI Ref 10A 2929
6 The Ancient and Present State of the County and City of Waterford by Charles Smith. Published 1774.
7 Land Registry lease deed Barrett/Roch dated 4th June 1793.
Land Registry Ref: 482/193/306269
8 Placenames Database (see www.logainm.ie)
9 ^ Deed dated 30th October 1790 (not registered)
10 ^ Land Registry declaration of trust between Welsh/Roch dated 30th Oct 1790.
Land Registry ref: 304763
11 ^ Land Registry deed of Richard Barrett/Mary Roch dated 4yh June 1793.
Land Registry Ref: 482/193/306269
12 ^ Journal of the Waterford & South-East of Ireland Arch. Soc; Vol XII.
Vol XII (pp 57-58) published 1909.
13 ^ a b c d e f g Episodes in the Domestic Annals of the Aristocracy Vol 1 by Bernard Burke.
Published 1854.
14 The Ancient Ruined Churches in Co. Waterford by Rev. P. Power.
Published in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 1891.
15 ^ Patent copy dated 27th Nov 1696 in Congreve Papers. Transcript of King William letter dated 13th Feb 1695 in Curraghmore papers.
16 ^ Record of the Expedition to Abyssinia Vol II 1870 by British War Office.
17 Walter G. Strickland "A Dictionary of Irish Artists", 2 vols 1913 (Samuel Towgood Roch)
18 ^ Paul E Caffrey "Sampson Towgood Roch, Miniaturist" Irish Art Review 1986 pp14
19 ^ a b c d A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland by John Burke and John Bernard Burke. Vol III/pp280. Published 1850.
20 ^ Family Romance or Episodes in the Domestic Annals of The Aristocracy Vol 1,
By Sir Bernard Burke, Published 1854.
Appendix A
Ancestry Tree of Rochs of Woodbine Hill:
Generation 1
1. Ruling House of Lorraine-1.
Ruling House of Lorraine and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
2. i. Le Sire "De La Roche" De Rochville.
Generation 2
2. Le Sire "De La Roche" De Rochville-2 (Ruling House of-1).
Le Sire "De La Roche" De Rochville and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
3. i. Henri De Rupe.
Generation 3
3. Henri De Rupe-3 (Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1).
Henri De Rupe and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
4. i. Adam De Rupe.
Generation 4
4. Adam De Rupe-4 (Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1).
Adam De Rupe and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
5. i. Sir Richard "De La Roche" De Rupe was born in Poole Castle.
Generation 5
5. Sir Richard "De La Roche" De Rupe-5 (Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born in Poole Castle.
Amy Flemming daughter of Sir William "Lord of Armoy (or Fermoy)" Fleming.
Sir Richard "De La Roche" De Rupe and Amy Flemming married. They had the following children:
6. i. Sir Richard FitzRichard De Rupe was born in Poole Castle. He died in 1270.
Generation 6
6. Sir Richard FitzRichard De Rupe-6 (Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born in Poole Castle. He died in 1270.
Sir Richard FitzRichard De Rupe and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
7. i. Baron Roch of Fermoy Lord Hugh "Lord" De Rupe was born in Poole Castle. He died in 1300.
Generation 7
7. Baron Roch of Fermoy Lord Hugh "Lord" De Rupe-7 (Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born in Poole Castle. He died in 1300.
Baron Roch of Fermoy Lord Hugh "Lord" De Rupe and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
8. i. Baron Roch of Fermoy David FitzHugh Roch was born in Poole Castle. He died about 1314.
Generation 8
8. Baron Roch of Fermoy David FitzHugh Roch-8 (Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born in Poole Castle. He died about 1314.
Baron Roch of Fermoy David FitzHugh Roch and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
9. i. Baron Roch of Fermoy George FitzHugh Roch was born in Poole Castle. He died between 1325-1330.
Generation 9
9. Baron Roch of Fermoy George FitzHugh Roch-9 (David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born in Poole Castle. He died between 1325-1330.
Baron Roch of Fermoy George FitzHugh Roch and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
10. i. Lord Roch of Fermoy Alexander FitzHugh Roch. He died in 1335.
Generation 10
10. Lord Roch of Fermoy Alexander FitzHugh Roch-10 (George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1). He died in 1335.
Lord Roch of Fermoy Alexander FitzHugh Roch and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
11. i. Lord Roch of Fermoy David FitzAlexander Roch. He died in 1361.
Generation 11
11. Lord Roch of Fermoy David FitzAlexander Roch-11 (Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1). He died in 1361.
Lord Roch of Fermoy David FitzAlexander Roch and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
12. i. Lord Roch and Fermoy William FitzDavid Roch. He died in 1383.
Generation 12
12. Lord Roch and Fermoy William FitzDavid Roch-12 (David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1). He died in 1383.
Lord Roch and Fermoy William FitzDavid Roch and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
i. Lord Roch and Fermoy James FitzWilliam Roch. He died in 1422.
13. ii. Lord Roch and Fermoy Maurice FitzWilliam Roch. He died in 1493.
Generation 13
13. Lord Roch and Fermoy Maurice FitzWilliam Roch-13 (William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1). He died in 1493.
Lord Roch and Fermoy Maurice FitzWilliam Roch and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
i. Son1 Roch.
ii. Son2 Roch.
iii. Lord Roch and Fermoy Ulick Alexander Roch. He died in 1500.
15. iv. Lord Roch and Fermoy George Roch. He married Princess Mary O'Brien in 1506 in Limerick. He died in 1517 in near Liscarroll.
v. James Fitzmaurice Roch.
Generation 14
14. Lord Roch and Fermoy George Roch-14 (Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1). He died in 1517 in near Liscarroll.
Princess Mary O'Brien daughter of Prince of Thomond Turlough Roe O'Brien.
Lord Roch and Fermoy George Roch and Princess Mary O'Brien were married in 1506 in Limerick. They had the following children:
15. i. John The Happy Roch was born in 1507. He married Lady Johanna Fitzgerald in 1535. ii. Son2 Roch.
Generation 15
15. John The Happy Roch-15 (George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born in 1507.
Generation 15 (con't)
Lady Johanna Fitzgerald daughter of Lord of Strancally.
John The Happy Roch and Lady Johanna Fitzgerald were married in 1535. They had the following children:
16. i. James Roch. He died about 1567.
Generation 16
16. James Roch-16 (John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1). He died about 1567.
Lady Margaret Butler.
James Roch and Lady Margaret Butler married. They had the following children:
17. i. Theobold Roch was born in Tourin and Cregg. He married Lady Ellen Fitzgerald in 1566. He died in 1635.
Generation 17
17. Theobold Roch-17 (James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born in Tourin and Cregg. He died in 1635.
Lady Ellen Fitzgerald.
Theobold Roch and Lady Ellen Fitzgerald were married in 1566. They had the following children:
18. i. George Roch was born in Tourin and Glynn. He died about 1658.
ii. John Roch was born in Tourin and Glynn.
iii. Maurice Roch was born in Tourin and Glynn.
iv. Ulick Roch was born in Tourin and Glynn.
v. David Roch was born in Tourin and Glynn.
Generation 18
18. George Roch-18 (Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born in Tourin and Glynn. He died about 1658.
George Roch and unknown spouse married. They had the following children:
Generation 18 (con't)
19. i. Colonel James The Swimmer Roch was born on 29 Sep 1657 in Kinsale, Co Cork. He died on 22 Dec 1722 in Dungarvan, Co Waterford.
Generation 19
19. Colonel James The Swimmer Roch-19 (George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born on 29 Sep 1657 in Kinsale, Co Cork. He died on 22 Dec 1722 in Dungarvan, Co Waterford.
Susan (Elizabeth) Gough.
Colonel James The Swimmer Roch and Susan (Elizabeth) Gough married. They had the following children:
20. i. William Roch was born about 1695 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford. He died on 29 Jul 1723 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford.
ii. Mary Roch was born on 10 Oct 1694. She married Benjamin Greene on 17 Nov 1709.
Elizabeth Hamerton. She died on 01 Mar 1731.
Colonel James The Swimmer Roch and Elizabeth Hamerton were married on 20 Jul 1700. They had the following children:
21. i. James Roch was born about 1702 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford. He died on 28 Jan 1741 in Dungarvan, Co Waterford.
Generation 20
20. William Roch-20 (James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born about 1695 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford. He died on 29 Jul 1723 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford.
Ellinor Lapp daughter of John Lapp. She died about 1754.
William Roch and Ellinor Lapp married. They had the following children:
i. James Roch was born about Nov 1722 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford. He died on 30 Jul 1723.
ii. Lydia Roch.
21. James Roch-20 (James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born about 1702 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford. He died on 28 Jan 1741 in Dungarvan, Co Waterford.
Anna Maria Hamerton. She died on 09 Jul 1725.
Generation 20 (con't)
James Roch and Anna Maria Hamerton married. They had the following children:
25. i. James Roch was born about 1722 in Glin Castle, Waterford. He married Isabella Odell on
21 Oct 1747 in Woodbine Hill, Waterford. He died on 15 Dec 1792 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
Melian Holmes Pomeroy daughter of Thomas Holmes Pomeroy and Audriah Towgood was born about 1711 in Kilmallock, Co Limerick. She died on 28 Jan 1755.
James Roch and Melian Holmes Pomeroy were married on 03 Mar 1731. They had the following children:
22. i. Melian Roch was born about 1732 in Glynn Castle, Waterford.
23. ii. William Roch was born about 1732 in Lehard, Co Cork. He died in Lehard, Cork.
iii. Luke Roch was born about 1734 in Glynn Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford. He died in 1781.
24. iv. Audriah Roch was born about 1739 in Woodbine Hill ?, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. She married Edward Matthew Jones in May 1757. She died on 26 Feb 1819 in Youghal, Co Cork (Woodbine Hill ?).
Generation 21
22. Melian Roch-21 (James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born about 1732 in Glynn Castle, Waterford.
Colonel Beverly Ussher son of James Ussher and Jane Donnellan was born in Canty, Co Waterford.
Colonel Beverly Ussher and Melian Roch married. They had the following children:
i. John Ussher was born about 1751. He died about 1809.
ii. Melian Ussher.
23. William Roch-21 (James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born about 1732 in Lehard, Co Cork. He died in Lehard, Cork.
Mary Lane daughter of Ambrose Lane and Wife Ambrose Lane was born about 1740 in Tipperary. William Roch and Mary Lane married. They had the following children:
i. Sampson Towgood Roch was born about 1759 in Lehard, Cork. He married Melian Roch on 29 May 1787 in Youghal, Co Cork. He died on 20 Feb 1847 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
ii. Luke Roch was born about 1760 in Lehard, Cork.
iii. William Roch was born about 1763 in Lehard, Cork.
iv. Ambrose Roch was born about 1764 in Lehard, Cork. He married Regina Maria Dalton in 1792 in Rathkyran, Mooncoin, Co Kilkenny. He died about 1829.
v. Elizabeth Roch was born about 1765 in Lehard, Cork.
vi. Johanna Roch was born about 1766 in Lehard, Cork.
vii. Audriah Roch was born about 1767 in Lehard, Cork.
24. Audriah Roch-21 (James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born about 1739 in Woodbine Hill ?, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. She died on 26 Feb 1819 in Youghal, Co Cork (Woodbine Hill ?).
Edward Matthew Jones.
Edward Matthew Jones and Audriah Roch were married in May 1757. They had the following children:
26. i. Melian Jones was born about 1763. She married Samuel Hayman on 16 Nov 1782. She died on 25 Feb 1835.
ii. Maria Jones. She died on 31 Oct 1791.
iii. Susannah Jones.
25. James Roch-21 (James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born about 1722 in Glin Castle, Waterford. He died on 15 Dec 1792 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
Isabella Odell daughter of John Osborne Odell was born in Carriglea, Co Waterford.
James Roch and Isabella Odell were married on 21 Oct 1747 in Woodbine Hill ?, Waterford. They had the following children:
27. i. James Roch was born about 1750 in Woodbine Hill ?, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
ii. Melian Roch was born about 1757 in Woodbine Hill ?, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. She married Sampson Towgood Roch on 29 May 1787 in Youghal, Co Cork. She died on 21 Sep 1837.
iii. John Roch was born about 1752 in Woodbine Hill ?, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
iv. Boy6 Roch was born about 1756 in Odell Lodge, Co Waterford.
Generation 21 (con't)
v. Luke Roch was born about 1752 in Odell Lodge, Co Waterford.
Mary Cotter was born about 1745 in Cullenagh, Co Cork. She died on 12 May 1825 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
James Roch and Mary Cotter were married in 1781. They had the following children:
28. i. George Butler Roch was born on 23 May 1784 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. He married Jane Wilkinson on 23 Oct 1813. He died about Jun 1859.
Generation 22
26. Melian Jones-22 (Audriah-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born about 1763. She died on 25 Feb 1835.
Samuel Hayman was born about 1752 in South Abbey, Youghal, Co Cork. He died on 20 Mar 1834. Samuel Hayman and Melian Jones were married on 16 Nov 1782. They had the following children:
29. i. Matthew Hayman was born about 1791 in South Abbey, Youghal, Co Cork. He married Helen Hill about 1818.
27. James Roch-22 (James-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born about 1750 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
Wife James Roch.
James Roch and Wife James Roch married. They had the following children:
i. Melian Roch was born about 1775 in Woodbine Hill ?, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
ii. Isabella Roch was born about 1774 in Woodbine Hill ?, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
28. George Butler Roch-22 (James-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born on 23 May 1784 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. He died about Jun 1859.
Jane Wilkinson daughter of William Wilkinson was born about 1798. She died on 07 Jan 1870 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
George Butler Roch and Jane Wilkinson were married on 23 Oct 1813. They had the following children:
i. Melian Roch was born on 08 Apr 1816 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. She married Henry Downes Sheppard on 01 Jan 1842. She died on 01 Nov 1891.
Generation 22 (con't)
ii. George Roch was born on 15 Apr 1819 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. He married Harriet St Leger Purcell on 18 Jul 1874.
iii. James Roch was born on 12 Sep 1822 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. He married Mary Jane Melen on 24 Feb 1851. He died in 1859.
iv. Mary Roch was born about 1825 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. She died on
19 Jan 1892 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
30. v. Sampson "Deputy Surgeon-General" Roch was born on 29 Jun 1829 in Woodbine Hill, Prospect Hall, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. He married Agnes Brown on 21 Oct 1869 in St John The Evangelist, Notting Hill, London. He died on 09 Nov 1906.
vi. Sarah Roch was born about 1830.
vii. Jane Roch was born about 1833 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. She married Henry Peard on 30 Jun 1849 in Kinsalebeg Church, Kinsalebeg Co waterford. She died on
22 Oct 1905.
viii. Selina Roch was born about 1835 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. She married John Sheppard about 1855. She died on 23 Jan 1892 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
Generation 23
29. Matthew Hayman-23 (Melian-22, Audriah-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born about 1791 in South Abbey, Youghal, Co Cork.
Helen Hill. She died about 1850.
Matthew Hayman and Helen Hill were married about 1818. They had the following children:
i. Elizabeth Hayman. She died on 03 Feb 1841.
32. ii. Melian Jones Hayman was born about 1822. She married Alexander Durdin after 1851 in Huntington Castle, Carlow. She died on 12 Feb 1902.
30. Sampson "Deputy Surgeon-General" Roch-23 (George Butler-22, James-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born on 29 Jun 1829 in Woodbine Hill, Prospect Hall, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. He died on 09 Nov 1906.
Agnes Brown daughter of Bartholomew John Brown was born about 1848. She died on 02 Apr 1922.
Sampson "Deputy Surgeon-General" Roch and Agnes Brown were married on 21 Oct 1869 in St John The Evangelist, Notting Hill, London. They had the following children:
Generation 23 (con't)
i. George Butler Roch was born on 02 Aug 1871 in Chukrata, Bengal, India. He died on 30 Mar 1905 in Totland Bay, Isle of Wight.
ii. Henry Leslie Roch was born on 18 Mar 1873 in Bengal, India. He died on 16 Mar 1936.
32. iii. Horace Sampson "Colonel" Roch was born on 13 Aug 1876 in Kilkenny, Ireland. He married Emily Helena Crone on 17 Nov 1931. He died on 23 May 1960.
Generation 24
31. Melian Jones Hayman-24 (Matthew-23, Melian-22, Audriah-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born about 1822. She died on 12 Feb 1902.
Alexander Durdin.
Alexander Durdin and Melian Jones Hayman were married after 1851 in Huntington Castle, Carlow. They had the following children:
33. i. Helen Alexandra Melian Durdin was born on 14 Dec 1855. She married Herbert Robertson on 01 Jan 1880. She died on 06 Jan 1932.
32. Horace Sampson "Colonel" Roch-24 (Sampson-23, George Butler-22, James-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born on 13 Aug 1876 in Kilkenny, Ireland. He died on 23 May 1960.
Emily Helena Crone daughter of Reverend Alexander Crone and Emily Laura Cronenee was born about 1909 in Kinsalebeg or Templemichael, Co Waterford. She died on 18 Mar 1989 in Woodbine Hill, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
Horace Sampson "Colonel" Roch and Emily Helena Crone were married on 17 Nov 1931. They had the following children:
34. i. Mary Alexandra Roch was born on 17 May 1933 in Woodbine Hill, Prospect Hall, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. She married William George Perks on 04 Jul 1957 in Youghal, Co Cork.
Marjorie Power daughter of Robert Henry Power was born about 1900 in Cliff House Ardmore. She died on 09 May 1919.
Horace Sampson "Colonel" Roch and Marjorie Power were married on 15 Feb 1919. They had no children.
Generation 25
Generation 25 (con't)
33. Helen Alexandra Melian Durdin-25 (Melian Jones-24, Matthew-23, Melian-22, Audriah-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born on 14 Dec 1855. She died on 06 Jan 1932.
Herbert Robertson.
Herbert Robertson and Helen Alexandra Melian Durdin were married on 01 Jan 1880. They had the following children:
35. i. Maning Durdin Robertson was born after 1880 in Huntingdon Castle.
ii. Brenda Melian Manning Robertson was born about 1884 in Huntingdon Castle. She died about 1884.
34. Mary Alexandra Roch-25 (Horace Sampson-24, Sampson-23, George Butler-22, James-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born on 17 May 1933 in Woodbine Hill, Prospect Hall, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
William George Perks son of William Samuel Russell Perks.
William George Perks and Mary Alexandra Roch were married on 04 Jul 1957 in Youghal, Co Cork. They had the following children:
36. i. Laura Isobel Mary Roch-Perks was born in Woodbine Hill, Prospect Hall, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. She married Dermot John Griffith on 09 Jul 1985.
ii. Sam Roch-Perks was born in Woodbine Hill, Prospect Hall, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
iii. Pamela Roch-Perks was born in Woodbine Hill, Prospect Hall, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
Generation 26
35. Maning Durdin Robertson-26 (Helen Alexandra Melian-25, Melian Jones-24, Matthew-23, Melian-22, Audriah-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born after 1880 in Huntingdon Castle.
Nora Parsons.
Maning Durdin Robertson and Nora Parsons married. They had the following children:
37. i. Laurence Alex Durdin Robertson.
ii. Olivia Melian Robertson was born on 13 Jan 1917.
Generation 26 (con't)
36. Laura Isobel Mary Roch-Perks-26 (Mary Alexandra-25, Horace Sampson-24, Sampson-23, George Butler-22, James-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1) was born on 24 Dec 1959 in Woodbine Hill, Prospect Hall, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.
Dermot John Griffith.
Dermot John Griffith and Laura Isobel Mary Roch-Perks were married on 09 Jul 1985. They had the following children:
i. Melian Harriet Mary Griffith.
Generation 27
37. Laurence Alex Durdin Robertson-27 (Maning Durdin-26, Helen Alexandra Melian-25, Melian Jones-24, Matthew-23, Melian-22, Audriah-21, James-20, James-19, George-18, Theobold-17, James-16, John-15, George-14, Maurice FitzWilliam-13, William FitzDavid-12, David FitzAlexander-11, Alexander FitzHugh-10, George FitzHugh-9, David FitzHugh-8, Lord Hugh-7, Richard FitzRichard-6, Richard-5, Adam-4, Henri-3, Le Sire-2, Ruling House of-1).
Pamela Barclay.
Laurence Alex Durdin Robertson and Pamela Barclay married. They had the following children:
i. Mary Melian Durdin Robertson.
Note: The Roch(e) genealogical history has a number of variations and discrepancies between the various primary and secondary sources and therefore needs to be treated with a degree of caution particularly in the period before the 16th century. This is not unusual in old genealogical records and any variation or error will of course affect subsequent genealogiocal history following on from that point.
Appendix B
Burke’s Landed Gentry (Roch of Woodbine Hill):
The following are extracts from the Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland by John Burke Esq and John Bernard Burke Esq Vol III, Published 1850 and is similar in key facts to Burke’s Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland by Sir Bernard Burke and edited by L.G. Pine, 4th Edition Published 1958. Acknowledgements to both publications.
