William (Walter) Roil

• Census: 1841 - High Street, Alton, Hampshire, England
• Immigration: 1842

William established a well known “cob house” in Stoke, at the intersection of Saxton's Road and Nayland Road, bordering the estuary, which is probably the site in suburban south, where the Roils established. Here William Roil is recorded as one of the first hop-growers in the Stoke area. Stones Directory 1904 recorded Mrs Janet Roil as a hop grower and farmer, of Stoke, Nelson. The cider factory was run by the descendants of William Roil, six brothers and a sister, all unmarried and residing on the property.

An article in the Nelson Evening Mail 18 August 1962 recorded the demolition of an old hop kiln on the corner of Saxton's and Nayland Roads, where William Roil painstakingly built his property with mud and clay and 18" walls. The Roil family were one of the first to produce hops here commercially. On the site a hop kiln and cider industry flourished. Roils in Saxton’s Road was also identified as one of the oldest buildings in Stoke being over 100 years old by mid 20th century.

William died at Richmond Nelson 25 February 1894. His death certificate described him as born in Hampshire and resident in New Zealand for 43 years, married to Janet Cook at Stoke when she was 18 years old, a farmer, aged 60 years having 6 male children and 5 female children alive. He is buried in Richmond Cemetery where the headstone records him aged 61 years.