[4] William Rolleston held various ministerial posts in ministries led by John Hall (1879–1882), Frederick Whitaker (1882–1883) and Harry Atkinson (1883–1884)[7] and their house in Molesworth Street, on the site that is these days occupied by Saint Paul's Cathedral, gave easy access to the Parliament Buildings.

[8] With the defeat of the Atkinson Ministry, William Rolleston lost his ministerial income and due to the effects of the depression of the 1880s, the family moved to William Rolleston's 800 acres (3.2 km2) farm Kapunatiki at the south bank of the Rangitata River near its mouth in 1884.

[10] At one point, Frank Rolleston and the one year older Hector suffered the humiliation of having their school trousers lengthened by some ill-matching material.

[14] He represented the Timaru electorate from 1922, when he defeated, with a majority of 282 votes, Percy Vinnell of the Labour Party.

[16] Rolleston lost the 1928 election against Rev Clyde Carr of the Labour Party, who would go on and represent the electorate until 1962.