Obituary of Caroline Hole (d.1916)

Post date: Mar 06, 2012 9:10:40 PM

Extract from Parish Magazine of April 1916:

 Caroline Hole, the widow of the late Dean of Rochester, came to live in Wateringbury soon after the Dean's death in 1904, and remained with us for about eight years, first at the Lindens and afterwards at the Beck.  Here she was near her sister, Mrs. Burnaby-Atkins of Hamptons, and she was also within reach of Rochester, and so able to continue there the work among women and girls which she always had very much at heart. Moreover she found a comfort in the simple services of our Parish Church, and on the resignation of Mr. Aug. Leney she gladly accepted the office of Churchwarden, being nominated thereto by the Vicar, who had long known the value of her ready sympathy and sound common sense, always tinged with the saving sense of humour. It is worth mention that in her capacity as Churchwarden Mrs. Hole became also an ex-officio member of the Diocesan Conference, being the first woman to occupy such a position.

At heart she was a country woman, having been brought up in a beautiful home at Gonalston in Nottinghamshire (where, by the way, the writer was hospitably entertained about 35 years ago), and having spent most of her life at the rectory or manor house of the neighbouring village of Caunton: in later life she was fond of recalling amusing little experiences which unintentionally revealed her close and happy relations with her husband's parishioners. She shared the Dean's love of flowers, and was herself a keen gardener: her skilful care of the monthly roses along the churchyard path, many of them her own planting, made them to blossom abundantly; and after she left the parish and went to live at Hawkhurst she made a point of coming here every spring for the express purpose of pruning them.

She regretted the necessity of leaving Wateringbury, but hers was a friendship which could not be severed by distance, and everyone who knew her will always think of her with gratitude and affection.

As dean of Rochester her husband had received a stipend of £2,000 p.a. (less tax at 8d. of £86-13-4d ) as shown by the 1894/5 Receiver's accounts for the Dean and Chapter held in Medway Archives - a very substantial sum. 

She died, according to probate records at The Fir Trees, Hawkhurst on 13February 1916; probate was granted on 23rd June on an estate valued at £4,427   13s. and 5d.

The 1911 census records her, aged 70, living in a 11 room house with 3 female servants (clearly The Beck although not specifically identified as such by the census). Next door at Beck Cottage lives a domestic gardener with his wife and daughter. 

Patsy Cunningham writes in detail on the Rhode Island Rose Society website about Caroline's husband Samuel Reynolds Hole (1819-1904). He was vicar of Caunton for most of his career before becoming Dean of Rochester Cathedral in 1887. He had become the first president of the National Rose Society on its foundation in 1876. He wrote several books including "A Book about Roses". A rose was named after Caroline as Mrs Reynolds Hole and is still available for purchase. 

For a photo see http://www.19thcenturyphotos.com/Mr-and-Mrs-Reynolds-Hole-123164.htm