William “Willie” Rose 1850-1916 and his family are frequently mentioned in Arthur’s diaries; Willie, Arthur and their families met nearly every day. When Arthur Oram’s diaries started William was living at Burrishoole Farmhouse with his wife Jessie Rose nee Dick 1852-1921 who Arthur always referred to as Mrs Rose or “Mrs R” and their young daughter Elizabeth Nixon Rose 1884-? or “Baby Rose” or “Babby”.
Jessie Rose
Jessie, William Rose’s wife was the sister of Robert Dick of Mullaun, who was married to the sister of Arthur Oram’s wife Catherine nee Anderson. Jessie and William were married on 5 November 1878 at Rutherglen, Lanarkshire in Scotland where the Dick family farmed at “Eastfield”.
William Rose in John Oram’s diaries
In May 1873 when John Oram was preparing to leave for Sussex he records William Rose’s appointment as farm manager to the Burrishoole Estate. Five days later he settled for Arthur “to succeed me in Ireland as agent”. When John moved to Sussex Arthur and William took over John’s home at Burrishoole Farm. In 1877 John and his family returned from England and settled in Wilford Lodge. John records that on 7 November 1878 “W Rose brought home his wife”.
William Rose’s father
As William Rose was probably Arthur’s closest friend I, Carolyn have tried to find out more about his background. There are hints in John and Arthur’s diaries that have been confirmed by researchers on ancestry.co.uk, who have also helped with dates and full names of family members.
William, born in 1850 in County Mayo, was son of Henry Rose who ‘Griffiths’ cites as leasing 120 acres around Newport. Henry Rose was a friend of John Oram who noted his death in 1885. William’s mother was Elizabeth Mary Ann Nixon. Nixon is a local Newport name, but she may well have come from elsewhere as we have no other information on William Rose’s mother.
There are strong hints in Arthur Oram’s diaries that William Rose was a nephew of Thomas Rose of “Ashfield”, Ballyballinaun near Aghagower. Thomas Rose was born in King’s County and rented 62 acres according to ‘Griffiths’ . Arthur Oram sometimes stayed at “Ashfield” when he attended Aghagower Fair and there are other comments in the diaries that indicate that William and Thomas were closely related.
There was another marriage between the Rose and Dick family’s when on 5 August 1896 Arthur reported: “To Westport by first train for Wm Dick’s and [?illegible] Rose’s Marriage, out to Ashfield, pleasant day and home by 4 pm train”. The [?illegible] was Maria Rose and William “Wm” Dick was the brother of Robert Dick of Mullaun, Newport.
