Roderick Kenneth Rowlands 1896 – 1962

Currently being written. – Information coming soon.


Roderick Rowlands was the eighth and last  child, and third son of Phoebe and Donald Rowlands, born  __________1896 in ________ (Birth Certificate number 1896/8132).

Not much is known about his childhood but we could assume it is much the same as his siblings and other children growing up at that time.

The first record we have of Roderick is from the Auckland Star on 2 February 1907 in an article about the first annual meeting of the district public school sports day. Roderick takes first place in the 75 yards boys race for under 10 year olds.

At the age of 16 we find and article from the Hawera & Normanby Star, 2 February 1912, we read;


In connection with the tragedy on the steamer Wakatere last month, when Arthur Walding shot another lad named Roderick Rowlands with a revolver, the former was before the Court, charged with doing actual bodily harm. The injured lad, who is half paralysed as the result of an injury to the brain, gave evidence at the hospital intelligently, but his memory re the actual shooting is a blank. The evidence showed that the shooting was quite accidental. Walding not knowing that the weapon was loaded, playfully pointed it at Rowlands and shot him in the forehead. The bullet was extracted from the back of the brain. Walding pleaded not guilty, and was committed for trial, being liberated on bail.

From the New Zealand Herald 4 March 1927 at the age of approximately 31 we have the following report;

Roderick Rowlands was fined 10s for drunkenness, and 1 pound for the breach of prohibition order, in default two days imprisonment.

We have no record of Roderick marring or having any children.

Roderick passes away on ________ 1962. (Death Certificate number 1962/33003) aged 65.