Alfred Rolfe
Encyclopedia
The Reverend Alfred James Rolfe (20 December 1870 - 19 December 1941) was an Englishman
who emigrated to Australia
to pursue a career as a clergyman and teacher, rising to become headmaster of Malvern School in Sydney
.
Rolfe was one of seven siblings, the youngest son of James Rolfe and his wife Ellen Pilcher. James Rolfe's piano business was not prospering, and in 1879 he arranged for his son Alfred to be 'clothed' at Christ's Hospital
. Alfred left the school in 1887 and began his studies for the Anglican ministry. In 1889 he emigrated to Australia, where in 1893 he was deaconed for the Newcastle Diocese
. However, the following year he was suspended from his ministry by the bishop, for reasons which remain unclear. He turned to schoolmastering, for which he quickly demonstrated a remarkable aptitude. He taught in Parkes
in rural New South Wales
, and in 1897 founded his own small school in Bega
, where he met and married Beatrice Ashdown in 1898. The marriage was a happy one, and the couple had five children.
In 1904, Rolfe began a nine-year stint as headmaster of Wolaroi Grammar, now Kinross Wolaroi School
, in Orange
. In 1908 he was at last ordained to the Anglican priesthood. After a time at St Peter's College
in Adelaide
, he became acting headmaster of Barker College
in Sydney before founding his own school, Malvern School, in Hunters Hill
, again in Sydney. He was headmaster of Malvern from 1915 until his death in 1941.
One of Rolfe's elder brothers was the writer Frederick Rolfe
, who corresponded regularly with his younger brother and the principal protagonist of whose novel The Desire and Pursuit of the Whole is represented as having written a novel named Sebastian Archer, based on Alfred Rolfe's life in Australia.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
who emigrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to pursue a career as a clergyman and teacher, rising to become headmaster of Malvern School in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
Rolfe was one of seven siblings, the youngest son of James Rolfe and his wife Ellen Pilcher. James Rolfe's piano business was not prospering, and in 1879 he arranged for his son Alfred to be 'clothed' at Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
. Alfred left the school in 1887 and began his studies for the Anglican ministry. In 1889 he emigrated to Australia, where in 1893 he was deaconed for the Newcastle Diocese
Anglican Diocese of Newcastle, Australia
The Anglican Diocese of Newcastle, Australia is located in the state of New South Wales and extends along the coast of New South Wales from Woy Woy to Laurieton and inland to Merriwa and Murrurundi. The cathedral church of the diocese is Christ Church Cathedral in Newcastle. The current Bishop of...
. However, the following year he was suspended from his ministry by the bishop, for reasons which remain unclear. He turned to schoolmastering, for which he quickly demonstrated a remarkable aptitude. He taught in Parkes
Parkes, New South Wales
- Transport :Parkes has a local bus service provided by Western Road Liners, which acquired Harris Bus Lines in March 2006. The Indian Pacific also stops twice a week, as well as the Broken Hill Outback Xplorer service, run by CountryLink, which heads to Broken Hill on Mondays and Sydney on...
in rural New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, and in 1897 founded his own small school in Bega
Bega, New South Wales
Bega is a town in the south-east of New South Wales, Australia in the Bega Valley Shire. It is the economic centre for the Bega Valley.-Place name:One claim is that place name Bega is derived from the local Aboriginal word meaning "big camping ground"....
, where he met and married Beatrice Ashdown in 1898. The marriage was a happy one, and the couple had five children.
In 1904, Rolfe began a nine-year stint as headmaster of Wolaroi Grammar, now Kinross Wolaroi School
Kinross Wolaroi School
Kinross Wolaroi School is an independent, Uniting church, co-educational, day and boarding school, located in Orange, a provincial city west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, in Orange
Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
. In 1908 he was at last ordained to the Anglican priesthood. After a time at St Peter's College
St Peter's College, Adelaide
St Peter's College, , is an independent boy's school in the South Australian capital of Adelaide...
in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, he became acting headmaster of Barker College
Barker College
Barker College is an independent Anglican, day and boarding school, located in Hornsby, a North Shore suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Founded in 1890 by the Reverend Henry Plume at Kurrajong Heights, Barker is an all-boys school from Kindergarten to Year 9, and co-educational from...
in Sydney before founding his own school, Malvern School, in Hunters Hill
Hunters Hill, New South Wales
Hunters Hill is a suburb in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Hunters Hill is located 9 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Hunter's Hill.Hunters Hill is situated on a...
, again in Sydney. He was headmaster of Malvern from 1915 until his death in 1941.
One of Rolfe's elder brothers was the writer Frederick Rolfe
Frederick Rolfe
Frederick William Rolfe, better known as Baron Corvo, and also calling himself 'Frederick William Serafino Austin Lewis Mary Rolfe', , was an English writer, artist, photographer and eccentric...
, who corresponded regularly with his younger brother and the principal protagonist of whose novel The Desire and Pursuit of the Whole is represented as having written a novel named Sebastian Archer, based on Alfred Rolfe's life in Australia.