Walter Roch

Who was Walter Roch?

Walter Francis Roch, sometime MP for Pembrokeshire from 1908 to 1918 was a Welsh politician and landowner, whose political career ended when he continued to support Herbert Asquith over David Lloyd George. He was also a barrister at the Middle Temple from 1913.

Roch was born the second son of William Francis Roch, J.P., of Butter Hill, Pembrokeshire and his wife Emily Catherine Powell, the second daughter of a Welsh Liberal politician Walter R.H. Powell, of Maesgwynne, Llanboidy, Carmarthenshire, MP for Carmarthenshire, 1880–85, and West Carmarthenshire, 1885-89. He was educated at Twyford and Harrow Schools. In 1908, at the age of 28, he successfully contested the seat in Pembrokeshire and was re-elected continuously until 1918.

He was appointed to the Dardanelles Commission in 1916.

He married on 20 April 1911 Hon. Fflorens Mary Ursula Herbert, daughter of Ivor Herbert, 1st Baron Treowen and eventually his sole heiress. Issue, if any, unknown.

In 1934, Roch was appointed JP for Monmouthshire. He and his wife spent the last twenty-five years of his life on their estates.