John Rochfort was born in London, England, the youngest son of Frank senior, a goldsmith, silversmith and jeweller, and Sarah (née Button).

[4] After quitting his job, John walked across the Rimutaka Range to Port Ahuriri (Napier) through the bush just to experience more of the country.

[7][8][4] Before leaving New Zealand, the Napoleon put in at Nelson, which made a good impression on him and no doubt influenced his decision to later emigrate there.

[4] After several months on the Victorian Goldfields, where he met up and spent some time gold mining with his older brother Joseph, John decided to return to New Zealand.

[9] John was referred to as living at Haven Road and Riwaka, employed as a surveyor, but was not financially invested in the family businesses.

[16][9] The West Coast survey lasted from February 1859 till August 1860, and was notable especially for the discovery of gold in the Buller River in November 1859.

[20] He spent most of the year engaged on Canterbury’s portion of the West Coast, where he witnessed a large influx of population as several gold rushes took place.

[29][9] Later that year he was contracted by the General Government to make a flying survey from Foxhill in Nelson through the rugged country to Brunnerton near Greymouth for a proposed railway line.

[33][9] In 1882 Rochfort was contracted by the General Government to survey a route for the proposed Main Trunk Line between Wellington and Te Awamutu in the Waikato.

He later recalled, “I met with continual native obstruction, was many times stopped, once a prisoner for eight days, and twice fired upon.”[35] Rochfort had initially left his Nelson business temporarily, but having completed the survey at the end of 1884, he was employed as an engineer to form the Main Trunk Line.

[37] She remained in Nelson while he was surveying on the West Coast for Canterbury Province, but he completed his work in time for the birth of their daughter in September 1864.

He returned to town for a few days to get fresh supplies, ate a meal at the Star Hotel, and died seated in the parlour.