Brockbank Brookbanks Brooksbank family		5 September 2008
Brookbanks family tree Brookbanks family summary Brookbanks ancestor chart		Dr Geoffrey Mann geoff.mann@btinternet.com home page
2 Hekena brookbanks	3 James BROOKBANKS 1831-1881	4 Christopher Brookbanks
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 and his father died just five years later. James was not baptized until a few months after his father’s death. It is not known who was then caring for James, but it seems likely that whoever it was discovered that he was unbaptised and remedied the situation.

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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