Sheffield Broughams

The Sheffield Brougham family, originally from Lincolnshire, have a rich and intricate history that dates back to the early Elizabethan age in the second half of the 1500s. The earliest records indicate that a core group of Broughams resided in and around Fillingham, a small rural village in Lincolnshire. Over the centuries, the Broughams spread across nearby villages, including Ingham, Glentworth, Upton, and others, with agriculture being their primary occupation.

As the Industrial Revolution progressed, many Broughams began to migrate beyond Lincolnshire, seeking better opportunities and adapting to changing economic conditions. This migration marked a significant shift from their traditional agricultural roots to more diverse occupations, including trades and industrial work. The urban area that attracted the Broughams was Sheffield, a burgeoning industrial city, which was 50 miles west of Fillingham.

The migration of the Lincolnshire Broughams to Sheffield was driven by the promise of better jobs and prosperity. The Broughams who settled in Sheffield adapted to the industrial environment, taking up various occupations. For instance, William Hutchinson Brougham, born in 1809 in Ingham, Lincolnshire, moved to Sheffield around 1839 or 1840. Initially a farmer, William tried his hand at several occupations, including being a carter, butcher and corn dealer.

The Broughams' story in Sheffield is one of resilience and adaptability. William Hutchinson Brougham's descendants continued to thrive in the industrial city. His children and grandchildren took up various trades, contributing to the economic and social fabric of Sheffield. For example, his son, Henry Brougham, worked as a carrier and leather dresser before moving to Birmingham 10. Another descendant, John Brougham, became a tile maker, newsagent, and coal merchant.

The Broughams' migration to Sheffield during the Industrial Revolution exemplifies the broader trend of rural families moving to urban centers in search of better livelihoods. Their story is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of people during this transformative period in history. The Sheffield Broughams maintained their familial connections and heritage while navigating the challenges of changing times.

Agricultural Migration in the 19th Century

The migration of agricultural labourers from the countryside to urban towns in the 19th century was driven by several key factors: Economic Opportunities The primary reason for this migration was the search for better economic opportunities. The Industrial Revolution brought about significant changes in the economy, leading to the growth of factories and industries in urban areas. These industries offered higher wages and more stable employment compared to the seasonal and often unreliable work available in agriculture. Agricultural Changes Changes in agriculture also played a significant role. The Enclosure Acts, which consolidated small landholdings into larger farms, resulted in many small farmers losing their land and livelihoods. This led to a class of landless labourers who had no choice but to seek work elsewhere. Additionally, advancements in agricultural technology reduced the need for manual labour, further pushing workers towards urban areas. Urbanisation and Industrialisation The rapid urbanisation and industrialisation of towns and cities created a demand for labour in various sectors, including manufacturing, construction, and services. The promise of steady work and the potential for upward mobility attracted many rural workers to urban centres. Living Conditions While the living conditions in urban areas were often poor, with overcrowded housing and inadequate sanitation, the prospect of regular employment and the possibility of a better future outweighed these challenges for many migrants. Social and Family Networks Social and family networks also facilitated migration. As some individuals moved to urban areas and found work, they would often send for their families or encourage friends and relatives to join them, creating a chain migration effect. In summary The migration of agricultural labourers to urban towns in the 19th century was driven by a combination of economic opportunities, changes in agriculture, the growth of industries, and social networks. This movement was a significant aspect of the broader social and economic transformations of the Industrial Revolution.

William Hutchinson Brougham (1809-1863)

William was born 1809, in Ingham, 8 miles northwest of Lincoln, to John Brougham (1785-1870) and wife, Mary. It would be this William who first moved from Lincolnshire to Sheffield either at the end of 1839/early 1840, before the birth of his child in early 1840. His father John Brougham (1785-1870) and cousin, William, (b1840), would follow in his footsteps. This was the start of the Brougham family in South Yorkshire.

William had been born the son of a farm worker, and it was inevitable that he too would become an agricultural worker. We do not know for certain the jobs of all his ancestors, but in rural Lincolnshire they must have been involved with the land in one way or another.

The blood line for William

John Brougham (1661-1704/5) and Elizabeth (- 1704)

William Brougham (1694-1779) and Jane Rickett (- - -)

William Brougham 1720-1757 and Anne Markham (1720 - )

William Brougham 1750-1821 and Elizabeth Blakey (1753-1848)

John Brougham (1785-1870) and Mary (c1781-1859)

William Hutchinson Brougham (1809-1863) and Mary Hardy (1801- )

Side shot of Gainsborough church with sand coloured stone, tower to the left and two tiered windows.

All Saint's Church, Gainsborough

William, as a young 25 year old farmer, marries Mary Hardy on 17th May 1835 at All Saints Church, Gainsborough. They have their first 2 children, Henry Brougham (1836 – 1908) and William Hutchinson Brougham (1837 – 1903) while living in Morton.

The family move to the Eccleshill area of Sheffield either at the end of 1839 or beginning of 1840 where their third child, Mary Ann (1840 – 1843) is born. Sadly, Mary dies in infancy at just 3 years old. William and Mary have one more child, John Brougham (1841 – 1925).

William tried a number of occupations throughout his life; we know the following from census returns and other documents:

1837 – Farmer, Morton
1841 – Carter, Sheffield
1851 – Butcher, Sheffield
1861 – Corn Dealer, Sheffield

This shows the resourcefulness of William and his willingness to try different things. It was probably this same resourcefulness that enabled him to take the brave step to move from rural Lincolnshire to urban Sheffield in south Yorkshire.

William is buried in St Marys Churchyard, Sheffield. His tombstone has recently been set in a stone wall as part of a tidying up of the church grounds.

Cut out image of William Hutchinson Brougham gravestone

Gravestone of William Hutchinson Brougham (1809-1863) in St Mary’s Churchyard, Sheffield.

‘In affectionate remembrance of William Hutchinson Brougham
who departed this life Dec 27th 1863 Aged 54 years’

The children of William Hutchinson Brougham (1809 - 1863) and Mary Hardy are:

Henry Brougham (1836 – 1908) born in Morton and moved to Sheffield as a young boy with his parents. Henry is instrumental in establishing Brougham roots in Birmingham when he moved there with his young family where he works as a carrier. Henry is discussed further in the Birmingham Broughams.
William Hutchinson Brougham (1837-1903) was born in Morton, Lincolnshire, before moving to Sheffield with his parents. As a Hay and Straw merchant at the age of 28, he marries a much younger, 18 year old, Yorkshire girl, Ann Eliza Young on 24 Jan 1867 at St Paul’s church, Sheffield. 18 months later their first son is born, they have 7 children in total, sadly one dies just 6 weeks old. William started as a Warehouse Boy, before getting to be a Carrier and Guilder. For a while he becomes a Hay Merchant and must have been doing Ok as the family have a servant. By 1881 William becomes a licenced victualler, running one of Sheffield’s pubs. In 1884 we know he was running the Punch Bowl on South Street on the Moor. He later moves south, over the county line into Derbyshire to Holmesfield near Dore where he runs a pub, Peacock Hotel at Owlers Bar. According to the 1901 census he also runs a farm with the help of his sons, John and Arthur. William dies aged 65 and is buried at Christ Church, Dore, Derbyshire. His wife, Ann, survives him being much younger, she sometimes live with her daughter Emma, now married to Albert Goss who is also a publican. Ann dies aged 73, in 1923, leaving an estate of £2009 13s 9d. John takes over the running of the Peacock Hotel and we assume the farm also.

Stone building of front of the Inn which looks like 2 buildings connected together

The Peacock at Owler Bar nr Dore (formerly the Peacock Hotel)

The 8 children of William and Ann are:

John Hutchinson Brougham (1868 – 1947) John works at his parent’s pub, the Peacock Hotel at Owlers Bar, Holmesfield and we assume takes this over after his father dies. John marries Florence born about 1876 in Bradway. 3 daughters are recorded:
- Katie Annie Brougham (c1900 - )
- Dorothy Florance Brougham (c1902 - )
- Hilda Mary Brougham (1905-1975)
Emma Brougham (1870 - 1947) marries Albert William Goss (c1867 - ) in October 1895, at the time he was a Pork Butcher, but later became a publican. Albert is the son of a gentleman, George Goss. Emma worked in the pubs with her husband. Interesting at the age of 10, Emma was a border, along with 2 of her siblings, John and Florence, with the widow Mary Croft in Ecclesall; presumably, there wasn’t enough space in the family home. The census results indicate Emma and Albert had no children. We assume Albert dies before Emma as probate shows John Page.
Edith Brougham (1871 – 1872) dies at just 6 weeks old
Florence Brougham (1873 - ) marries John Page (c1868- ) on 7 October 1896 in Holmesfield. They have three boys
- Reginald Brougham Page (c1898 - )
- John Page (c1900 - )
- William Hutchinson Page (c1904 - )
Arthur Brougham (1875 - 1901). Arthur worked on his father’s farm but dies young aged 26. For 18 months he suffered with Diabetes Insipidus, for which there was no cure in 1901. He eventually fell into a coma and died on 17th November 1901 at home, the Peacock Hotel, and buried at the nearby Christ Church, Dore on 21st November.
Philip Brougham (1876 – 1876) dies an infant
Beatrice Louisa Brougham (1878 – 1944). Beaty as she was known, never married and lived with her extended family throughout her life, particularly with her parents and also sister Emma and her husband, Albert Goss. We assume Beatrice worked in the family pubs. She is buried in Christ Church cemetery at Dore.
Mabel Annie Brougham (c1881 – 1926)

Christ Church, Dore, Derbyshire.
No Brougham graves were located when the author visited in 2025

Mary Ann Brougham (1840-1843) dies as an infant in Sheffield.
John Brougham (1841 - 1925) married Mary SHIMELD (1844-1911). John had various occupations starting as a tile maker’s apprentice cutting tiles before becoming a tile maker himself, moving on to be a Newsagent, acting as a corn merchant before finishing as a Coal Merchant. John and Mary are buried in Norton Cemetery in Sheffield, in the same grave as their eldest daughter and her husband. John and Mary had 6 children:

Thomas Hutchinson Brougham (1869 – 1870) infant death.
Ellen Elizabeth Brougham (1871- 1953) married Richard Montgomery Bullmore (1865 – 1940) a council clerk in the surveyor’s office having started off as a warehouse boy. No children have been located for the couple. Richard was born when his father was elderly so was brought up by his mother who was much younger than his late father.
Edwin James Brougham (1873- 1947) married Esther Hewlett (1877-1960) on 28 Dec 1901. They lived in Catcliffe on the outskirts of Rotherham where Edwin worked in the coal industry. The couple had 4 children
- Percy Brougham (1904 – 1904) Infant death
- John Hewlett Brougham (1905 - 1981) He marries Charlotte Harris (1904-1994). He works in the coal industry in the colliery and as a coal salesperson. Charlotte was born in Gloucestershire a long way from where she eventually lives. Interestingly Charlotte ends her life in Gainsborough Lincolnshire which is the area the Sheffield Broughams originate. The couple have 3 known children born in Sheffield:
  - Eileen Brougham (1931 - )
  - John H Brougham (1935 - ) Twin
  - Ann E Brougham (1935 - ) Twin
- Clifford Alan Brougham (1907 - 1981) Started off working in the coal industry, marries a girl in Skipton, Nora Stephenson (1906 - 1992), and becomes a Police Officer in the Bradford area.
- Ronald Edwin Brougham (1919 - )
Ada Annie Brougham (1875 – 1875) died in infancy shortly after birth
Edith Annie Brougham (1878- 1946) married a Scots man from Dumfriesshire, Joseph Buchanan (1869 - ) who was a draper. Joseph moved to Sheffield at the turn of the 20th Century. They had 2 children:
- Norman Brougham Buchanan (1911 - )
- Mary Buchanan (1915 - )
Albert Hutchinson Brougham (1880-1956), the youngest son of John Brougham (1841 - 1925), had a few jobs through life, at the age of 19 he was a junior postman, but this did not last long before he was working for his father in his corn merchant business. By 1911 he was a furniture porter. He served in WW1 and afterwards got married to Harriet Rose Nill (1879 – 1963) on 13 November 1920 at St Peter’s Church, Stapenhill, just outside Burton upon Trent, by which time he was a storekeeper. The couple lived with Harriet’s father on Woods Lane. By 1939, still living at 192 Woods Lane Stapenhill, he had become a clerk in the Ministry of Labour. Many people stay in a profession and potentially move around taking their skills with them; Albert did both, moved around and changed professions. Albert died on 1st March 1956 and was buried 5 days later in Stapenhill Cemetery, Burton upon Trent. Probate paperwork of 25th September 1956 showed he left £3,008 4s 9d to his widow.