Peter Rolt

Who was Peter Rolt?

Peter Rolt was a British businessman and Conservative Party politician.

The son of John David Rolt of and his wife Sophia née Butt, he was born in Deptford. Both of his grandfathers held senior positions in the town's Royal Dockyard. He entered business as a timber merchant and contractor. In 1820 he married Mary Brocklebank, daughter of the managing director of the General Steam Navigation Company, and formed a shipping company, Brocklebank & Rolt, in partnership with his father in law.

In 1852 Rolt was chosen by the Conservative Party to contest the parliamentary constituency of Greenwich. The two-seat constituency, which included Rolt's home town of Deptford was held by two Liberal Party members of parliament. Rolt topped the poll and was elected to the Commons along with Montague Chambers of the Liberals.

In 1857 Rolt took over C.J. Mare and Company, an engineering and shipbuilding company owned by his son in law, Charles Mare, who had become insolvent. He formed the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd of which he became chairman. He resigned from parliament by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Hempholme.