Watson Rogers

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Watson Rogers

Watercolour portrait of Watson Rogers, Chief Collector of Poor Rates, by John Sowden, 1908

from John Sowden's notebooks:

"Mr Rogers was born in 1850 at Bowling & was the son of Mr Wm Rogers of York; educated at St George's Wesleyan School, York and continued his studies there with a view of entering the scholastic profession. Circumstances intervened and he came to Bradford. For a couple of years he was corresponding clerk to the Great Northern Railway Co goods manager, Bfd. Then for 5 or 6 years with Mr H Wilkinson Coal Merchant. Mr Rogers began his career as a public official in the office of Mr Jon Wilkinson, assistant overseer & tax collector for Bowling. All the ten years of that of that connection Mr Rogers was the deputy registrar of Bowlig. In 1889 he was appointed assistant overseer for Manningham & Bolton and continued in that capacity until 1893 when the consolidation of rates and collection was effected by Act of Parliament & when he & Mr C N Hudson was associated as assistant overseers.

He is the Honorary secretary of the Yorkshire Poor Law Officers Association, and a past president of the National Poor Law Officers Mutual Guarantee Association. He is a Wesleyan and has held nearly every office open to a layman in that church, has been a local preacher for over 30 years, and has done much mission work. In the Masonic Craft(?) Mr Rogers was one of the founders of the King Edward VII Lodge, previously was a member of the Victoria Lodge. He was the second W.M. of the new lodge. Mr Rogers retired from the chair in 1912 and was I.P.M for 1912. Mr Rogers married in 1882 Sarah Louise, daughter of Mr Benjamin Barber of Coventry and has issue two sons & one daughter."

Creator

John Sowden

Image filename

sowden-272