Obituary
Major George David Rollinson
Major George David Rollinson 25 August 1924 – 23 May 2015 Howard Taylor remembers a true sportsman
M
ajor George David Rollinson passed away peacefully on Saturday 23 May at the age of 90. The funeral service was held at the Vale Royal Crematorium Chapel on Friday 5 June 2015. David was born on Monday 25 August 1924 in the industrial mill town of Colne in the heart of Lancashire, the first son of George and Francis Rollinson. Traditionally, the town was rich from wool and cotton, however the family business, SERFO, was that of salvage and with the activity of the German U-boats in the Irish Sea during the First World War, these skills and equipment were much in demand. With his parents and two younger brothers, Michael and Peter, David moved to the more affluent area of Wilmslow in order that father George and young David could have more land for horses and follow George’s passion for hunting. It wasn’t too long after that that Edge House Farm in Alderley Edge was purchased and both father and son began to hunt with the Cheshire Forest hounds. On leaving school, David attended Manchester University to study architecture, however his tenure was cut short in 1941 when, at the young age of 17, he was called up for duty in the Second World War. He was initially based at the army training camp in High Lee and indeed it was from there that he was to meet his future polo mentor, the late Micky Moseley.
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Polo Times, July 2015
David served with the 1st Battalion the Gordon Highlanders from 1941–47. As a young officer he rapidly climbed the ranks and as a Captain, embarked on the crossing of the Rhine and engaged in many battles including the liberation of the infamous Bergen-Belsen. David also represented the Gordon Highlanders regiment in the Highland Games competition, where he won medals in the high jump, shot-putting and tossing the caber. David was later posted to North Africa, the Arab Legion in Amman and postwar commanded a squadron of the Duke of Lancaster’s Own Yeomanry After a distinguished army career, yet at still only 24-years-old, David returned to civilian life. His brother, Michael, had taken on the running of the farm at Alderley Edge and David soon married his first wife, Joan. They moved to Dunsop Bridge in Lancashire to be near to the family business, where David resumed work. Not long afterwards, David and Joan had two daughters Gail and Amanda. During the post-war years, David excelled in his passion for rugby, playing both for Wilmslow Rugby Club and more latterly Birkenhead Park. He won numerous caps playing as a County player for Cheshire and indeed it was only a serious neck injury that put an end to him furthering his rugby ambitions. By 1952, the family business of SERFO now had offices in Manchester where David was based. It was in these early days of the Trafford Park Industrial Estate that David rekindled his acquaintance with Micky Moseley. Micky was ‘Mr Cheshire Polo Club’, and it was not too long before Micky had David as a playing member. At this time David was 28-years-old and being a natural sportsman, he rapidly rose to a handicap of 3 goals. Probably the biggest achievement ever out of the Cheshire Polo Club was in 1968, when David joined up with Sebastian de Ferranti’s Kerfield House Team and, along with Argentines Alec Mihanovich and Rudolpho Marmol, they beat the Windsor Park Team of Lord Patrick Beresford, the Marquis of Waterford, HRH the Duke of
Edinburgh and Paul Withers to win the Cowdray Park Challenge Cup. David travelled the country playing at different clubs, winning most of the important tournaments of the time, not least The Royal Windsor in 1962. It was when playing in Cirencester Park that David first met Sheryl, a whirlwind romance which led to marriage two years later. At this time they moved back to Cheshire and bought Peckforton Hall in the heart of Cheshire hunting country. Hunting and team chasing were a passion which both David and Sheryl enjoyed for many years. Sheryl and David have one son, James, who has carried on the polo tradition and plays in Oxfordshire. Like his father, James has achieved a handicap of 3 goals. David carried on playing competitively at Cheshire Polo Club, well into his late sixties, and, along with Sheryl, has managed the Club ever since. Apart from the onerous duties of Club Manager, it would not be uncommon to see David umpiring 12 chukkas on the trot when well into his eighties! David was a legendary character in many ways; few will achieve his success. Above all, however, he was always the perfect gentleman, upstanding in every way. He will be greatly missed by his family, all members both current and past of Cheshire Polo Club and everyone who knew him www.polotimes.co.uk