Brockbank Brookbanks Brooksbank family

5 September 2008

 

 

 

Brookbanks family tree

Brookbanks family summary

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Dr Geoffrey Mann

geoff.mann@btinternet.com

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3 James BROOKBANKS 1831-1881

 


spouse's records

m Elizabeth Mary Ann BRAY 1855

 

 

 

 

James Brookbanks was born in Camberwell in 1831 but his mother died when he was six months old.  James was not baptized until he was five, when his father, a baker, was living in Hampton St near the Elephant and Castle.  But his father probably died shortly after and it is not known who brought James up.

 

By the age of 19, James was an omnibus conductor taking horse-drawn buses over London Bridge.  He was lodging in Wandsworth in 1851 and married Elizabeth Bray in 1855 when he was 24.  Elizabeth lived at her father’s dairy in Stepney and they married at nearby St George in the East.  Perhaps Stepney was at one end of his omnibus route and this is how they met.  On their wedding night, James &  Elizabeth travelled from Stepney to their new home on Clapham Common.

 

They lived in Clapham for a few years where their first two children were born, though their eldest daughter died only 4 weeks old.  They then returned to Stepney where James took over his father-in-law's dairy business in Church Row, just by St Dunstan’s church about 1860.   Six more children were born at Church Row, though Kate died aged two.

 

The dairy at Church Row Stepney remained in business until 1882, (though the address was changed to 9 Durham Row in 1880).   James died there of TB in 1888 aged 56.

 

Elizabeth went to live with her married daughter Helena Blewett in Stepney, first in Streatfield St and then in Burgess St where she died of a stroke in 1895 aged 63.

 

 

click for a map of Stepney showing the location of the dairy, Streatfield St and Burgess St

EVENTS

 

           age

     DATE JB EB

 

                       EVENT

27Nov1831   

14Jun1832

25Jun1837  5

 6Jun1841  9

30Mar1851 19

 2Dec1855 24 24

 4Jan1857 25 25

 3Feb1857 25 25

16May1858 26 26

     1860 28 28

 7Apr1861 29 29

     1862 31 30

     1863 32 31

18May1865 34 33

     1868 37 36

     1870 39 38

 2Apr1871 39 39

     1872 40 40

 3Apr1881 49 49

     1882 50 50

11Jan1886 54 54

28Feb1888 56 56

12Aug1895    63

born in Camberwell; son of Christopher, a baker, and Arabella

mother died

baptised at St Peter, Walworth; address: Hampton St

census: not found; not at Hampton St

lodging at Newton’s Yard, Wandsworth; James was an omnibus conductor

married Elizabeth Mary Ann Bray at St George in East; James was an omnibus guard

dau Elizabeth born

dau Elizabeth baptised privately by vicar of Clapham Holy Trinity and died same day

son James baptized at Clapham Holy Trinity; James an omnibus guard

dau Kate Mary Ann born at Stepney

dairyman at 4 Church Row Stepney with wife, James, Kate, his wife's parents and aunt

dau Kate died

dau Alice born at Stepney

dau Helena Annie born at 4 Church Row, Stepney; James a dairyman

son Christopher Thomas born at Stepney

son Francis Edward born at 6 Church Row Stepney

dairyman at 6 Church Row Stepney with wife Elizabeth and 5 children

son Charles Robert born at Stepney

dairyman at 9 Durham Row Stepney with wife Elizabeth and 3 children

last year that the dairy is listed in the post office directory

daughter Helena married from 113 Stepney Green; James was a dairyman

died at 9 Durham Row of TB; death registered by married dau Alice TRUSTHAM

Elizabeth died of stroke at 64 Burgess St, home of her married dau Helena BLEWETT

 

 

PRINCIPAL RECORDS

b=born  m=married  d=died

C=Christened        B=Buried

BIRTH

 

census and marriage certificate show that James was born c1832 in Camberwell, son of Christopher, a baker.  A baptism at Walworth St Peter fits perfectly:

 

C 25Jun1837 b27Nov1831 James s Christopher & Arabella BROOKBANKS; baker Hampton St

 

note that James was baptised at the age of 5.  Walworth is in Newington adjacent to Camberwell.  Hampton St is close to the Elephant and Castle

 

 

MARRIAGE

certificate

 

m 2Dec1855 at St George in the East after banns

James BROOKBANKS  bch full omnibus guard, 4 Church Rd, & Elizabeth Mary Ann BRAY spr full, 4 Church Rd

fathers: Christopher BROOKBANKS baker; Thomas BRAY dairyman;  witnesses: J VIRRAL; Mary BRAY

 

letters written by Elizabeth to her mother show that after the wedding, James & Elizabeth took a coach to their home, Hume Cottage, on Clapham Common

 

DESCENDANTS

 

from register of Clapham Holy Trinity:

 

C  3Feb1857 b  4Jan1857 Elizabeth  d James & Elizabeth Mary Ann BROOKBANKS omnibus conductor Clapham private baptism

C 16May1858 b 28Feb1858 James      s James & Elizabeth Mary Ann BROOKBANKS omnibus conductor Clapham

 

from census, GRO and family memory:

 

                                       d  3Feb1857 Elizabeth BROOKBANKS r at Wandsworth

 

b    1q1860 Kate Mary Ann at Stepney   d    4q1862 Stepney

b 31may1862 Alice                      m    4q1882 Thomas John TRUSTTUM, Mile End

b 18May1865 Helena Annie               m 11Jan1886 H.M.BLEWETT St Dunstan, Stepney

b    3q1867 Christopher Thomas         m    3q1894 Margaret LAMASS, Mile End 

b 13Feb1870 Francis Edward             m 17Feb1895 Emma E HAIRFIELD, St Paul, Bow Common

b    1q1872 Charles Robert             m    4q1909 “Carrie”; Edmonton; no children

certificates

b 18May1865 Helena Annie  girl at 4 Church Row

father: James BROOKBANKS dairyman; mother: Elizabeth Mary Ann BROOKBANKS formerly BRAY

r 15Jun11865 by E M A BROOKBANKS mother of 4 Church Row, Ratcliff, at Ratcliff Stepney MDX

 

b 13Feb1870 Francis Edward, boy, at 6 Church Row

fa: James BROOKBANKS dairyman; mo: Elizabeth Mary Ann BROOKBANKS formerly BRAY

r24mar1870 by E M A Brookbanks mother, 6 Church Row Ratcliff, at Ratcliff, Stepney, London

 

 

m 11Jan1886 at St Dunstan's Stepney after banns

Henry Michael BLEWETT   bch 20 rope merchant 11 Rectory Square & Helena Annie BROOKBANKS spr 20 11 Rectory Square

fa: Henry BLEWETT master mariner; James BROOKBANKS dairyman; wi: C T BROOKBANKS; Emma{?} GAINES; Elizabeth Jessie COOPER

 

m 17Feb1895 at St Paul, Bow Common, Mile End Old Town reg district by licence

Francis Edward BROOKBANKS 24 bch 64 Burgess St & Emma Ellen HAIRFIELD 21 spr 1 Rose Lane

fa: James BROOKBANKS dairyman; William HAIRFIELD, general dealer; wit: William WALLACE, Elizabeth REES

 

DEATH

certificates:

 

d 28Feb1888 James BROOKBANKS male, dairyman, at 9 Durham Row, age 56; cause chronic gout, phthisis 4 months

r  1Mar1888 at Ratcliff, Stepney, MDX by Alice TRUSTHAM, dau, pad, of 31 Aston St Limehouse

 

d 12Aug1895 Elizabeth Mary Ann BROOKBANKS female, wid of James BROOKBANKS dairyman, at 64 Burgess St, age 63; cause: hemiplegia, exhaustion

r 16Aug1895 at Limehouse, Stepney, LND by H M BLEWETT, son-in-law, pad of 64 Burgess St, Limehouse

 

 

CENSUS

 

1841 aged 9 not found using 1841 index; not at Hampton St, Camberwell;

 

1851 Newtons Yard, Wandsworth (parish of All Saints)  HO107/1578 f94

 

Sally    MARSHALL  he wid 62  1789 pew opener At Anne’s church       Wansdworth

Eliza    MARSHALL  da unm 24  1827 cloth packer  on parish relief    Wandsworth

Mary Ann MARSHALL  gd      3  1848 scholar                          Wandsworth

John     MARSHALL  gs      2  1849                                  Wandsworth

James    BROOKBANK lo unm 19  1832 omnibus conductor                 Camberwell SRY  

 

1861 4 Church Row, Stepney RG9/285 f50

 

James      BROOKBANK   he mar 29  1833    dairyman                                        Camberwell

Eliza      BROOKBANK   wi mar 29  1833                                                    St George in the east

James      BROOKBANK   so     3   1858                                                    Clapham SRY

Katarina{?}BROOKBANK   da     1   1860                                                    Stepney

Thomas     BRAY        fl mar 76  1885    dairyman                                        Hoxton

Mary       BRAY        ml mar 73  1888                                                    Erith KEN

Ann        CARTER      sl unm 64  1897    house servant                                   Erith KEN

 

1871 6 Church Row Stepney, parish of St Dunstan RG10/547 f115

 

James      BROOKBANKS  he mar 39  1832    dairyman                                        Camberwell

Elizabeth  BROOKBANKS  wi mar 39  1832                                                    St George in the east

James      BROOKBANKS  so unm 13  1858    scholar                                         Clapham SRY

Alice      BROOKBANKS  da     8   1863    scholar                                         Ratcliff MDX

Elenor     BROOKBANKS  da     5   1866    scholar                                         Ratcliff

ChristopherBROOKBANKS  so     3   1868                                                    Ratcliff MDX

Francis    BROOKBANKS  so     1   1870                                                    Ratcliff MDX

 

1881 9 Durham Row, Stepney RG11/463 f124 p6

 

James      BROOKBANKS  he mar 49  1832    dairyman                                        Camberwell

Elizabeth  BROOKBANKS  wi mar 49  1832    dairyman's wife                                 St George in the east

Alice      BROOKBANKS  da unm 18  1863    dairyman's daughter                             Stepney

ChristopherBROOKBANKS  so     13  1868    errand boy                                      Stepney

Francis    BROOKBANKS  so     11  1860    scholar                                         Stepney

 

1891 13 Streatfield St, Limehouse (St Paul),   RG12/299 dist 26 f4    5 rooms or more

 

Henry M       BLEWETT     he mar 25  1866    marine store dealer; neither                 Stepney

Helen A       BLEWETT     wi mar 25  1866                                                 Stepney

Helen M       BLEWETT     da     4   1887                                                 Stepney

Elizabeth A   BLEWETT     da     2   1889                                                 Stepney

Henry A       BLEWETT     so     3m  1891                                                 Limehouse

Elizabeth M A BROOKBANKS  ml wid 59  1832    retired dairy woman    [ml=mother-in-law]    Shadwell

Christopher T BROOKBANKS  bl sgl 23  1868    blacksmith, employed   [bl=brother-in-law]   Stepney

 

 

 

 

OTHER

London PO Directory (Kelly)

 

James BROOKBANKS        1867-1879 dairyman 6 Church Row Stepney (1862 no entry)

James BROOKBANKS        1880-1882 dairyman 9 Durham Row Stepney (1883 no entry)

 

Notes from Mavis and Betty Strike (granddaughters of Helena Annie BROOKBANKS)

 

“Gt.grandfather James BROOKBANKS was a bus conductor who took the first bus over Tower Bridge when it opened.”

 

[He was an omnibus conductor (guard) but Tower Bridge opened only after James’ death.  Probably refers to London Bridge, which opened much earlier.  Perhaps James was one of the first buses to cross it after their introduction.  I have not yet determined when horse-drawn omnibuses first ran in London]

 

“Alice married Mr Trustum (Tom).  She was a large lady with a ready wit and a hearty laugh; a real cockney and good-hearted. They had no children of their own, but brought up Nellie BROOKBANKS, daughter of a brother of Alice who remarried and did not want her”.

 

“Uncle Charlie married Carrie and worked for a Dr Houchin who ran a massage clinic in Tredegar Square, Stepney”

 

“Uncle Jim married Min. They had a daughter Ella who played the violin and was keen on family history. She married St John Stevens who was thought to have money, but in fact had none".

 

“Grandma (Helena Annie BROOKBANKS) was married in brown velvet because she said there was not room for a wide dress as she had to walk through a narrow passage to reach the church; Mavis thought this just an excuse”.

 

 

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