THE LANGFORD BROOKE FAMILY OF MERE

This family and its estate are being studied as part of an adult education class run by the Department of Continuing Education at Keele University called Fine Arts and Society in the Late Georgian Country House. The family muniments are deposited at the John Rylands Library in Manchester.

The Brooke, later Langford Brooke family lived at Mere from the middle of the 17th century until the early 1990s.  The last male heir, Colonel Ronald Langford-Brooke, died in 1980 and his wife in 1993.  There was a sale of the Old Hall and contents in May 1994. Peter de Figueiredo and Julian Treuhertz in Cheshire Country Houses, describe Mere Old Hall as a late 17th century house remodelled in 1809-1815 and subsequently truncated in 1836. When Mere New Hall was built the old house was let to Manchester merchants and manufacturers during the 19th century. The New Hall was built about 1834 to the design of Thomas Johnson of Lichfield in a red brick Elizabethan style. The main block was destroyed in a fire in 1975 and the building is now the Mere Golf and Country Club (Grid Ref. SJ 727816)

By comparison with the research on the Leicesters at Tabley House and the Egertons at Tatton, relatively little has been undertaken on the Brooke family and there are very few published articles.  The two most recent accounts do not reveal their sources of information.  They are an item in Country Life, (Vol. CLXXXIV, No. 20, 17 May 1990 on p. 204) and the sale catalogue produced by Christie’s in 1994.  A short article in the series Cheshire Families and their Seats (Advertiser Notes and Queries, 1 1882, p. 168-9) is based on Burke's History of the Commoners.  There is an article on the family in Burke's Landed Gentry of 1879.  Ormerod (The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, three volumes, London, 1819)  quotes family trees drawn up by Sir Francis Leicester (1674-1742).

The family tree shown below is drawn from several sources. I am grateful to Mrs. Griffiths, the daugther of the late Colonel Ronald Langford-Brooke for allowing me to consult The Genealogy of the Brooke Family of Norton Priory, Mere Hall and Astley Hall, by James Finlayson, of which only 25 copies were privately published for the family in 1869. The information has been compared with that in the second edition of Ormerod's work and Burke's Landed Gentry, 1879. The tree below shows seven generations from Sir Peter Brooke who purchased Mere, to the last heir, Thomas William Langford Brooke, who died in 1872.  In addition, some dates have been added or confirmed from the Parish Registers of Rostherne, which have been examined in detail from the middle of the 17th century. These records revealed details of children who died in infancy and who had been omitted from published genealogies.  The information on the branch of the family at Astley Hall near Chorley in Lancashire has been taken from the booklet, Astley Hall Museum and Art Gallery, available at the hall.

The numbers refer to the generation and children are listed in order of birth where this is known. The name was not hyphenated until the end of the 19th century.  In Burke, the sons are usually listed in order first, followed by the daughters.  The article in Landed Gentry 1879 has the following preamble:
 

"The late Thomas William Langford Brooke Esq. of Mere Hall in Cheshire, born 8 May 1843, succeeded his father in 1865 and died unmarried in 1872.  The Mere Estates are now enjoyed by his mother, Catherine Mary, Mrs. Langford-Brooke and will eventually descend to her nephew Capt. Henry White Langford-Brooke, son of the late Henry William White Esq. of Monar in Ross-shire, by Alexandra Eliza his wife, the daughter of Col. Alexander MacLeod.  He assumed the additional surname of Langford-Brooke by royal licence in 1874."

From the family tree we see that Catherine Mary Langford Brooke and Alexandra Eliza White were sisters.  Thus in 1879 it was envisaged that the estates would pass via Mrs. Langford-Brooke to her sister’s son and therefore out of the Brooke family. It is assumed, but not proven by my research, that no male heirs remained from younger sons of earlier generations.
 

• 1.Sir Peter Brooke was the second son of Thomas Brooke of Norton Priory, Esq. by Eleanor Gerard his third wife.  Sir Peter purchased the Mere estate from John Mere Esq. in 1652.  He was knighted in 1660, MP County of Chester 8 Car. II, & high sheriff of Cheshire in 1669; living on 10 July 1684.  He 2nd wife was Frances, daughter of Nicholas Trot of Quickshot, Hertfordshire, the widow of William Merbury Esq. of Merbury; his 3rd wife was Mabell, daughter of William Farrington of Werden, widow of Richard Clayton, Esq., of Crooke. No issue.  By his first wife he had two sons, Thomas and Richard. A picture of Sir Peter Brooke is on display at Astley Hall near Chorley in Lancashire, which his second son acquired through marriage to the Charnock heiress. Sir Peter died in 1685 and is buried at Chorley.
• + 1st wife, Alice, the daughter and heiress of Richard Hulse of Kenilworth, Co. Warwickshire.
  • 2.Thomas Brooke of Mere, eldest son and heir,  His 2nd wife was a daughter of ** Grimsdich of Grimsdich County of Cheshire,  but there was no issue.
  • + 1st wife Margaret, daughter and heiress of Henry Brereton, Esq. of Eccleston, marriage covenant dated 23 Sept. 1662.
    • 3.  Mary, died unmarried.
    • 3.  Margaret married a Mr. Allen in 1704.
    • 3.  Peter Brooke of Mere Esq., eldest son and heir, born about 1663, married Elizabeth daughter and co-heiress of Peter Venables, Esq. of Over-Street. Peter was buried at Rostherne on 15 March 1694/5 and his wife, Elizabeth, on 21 June 1712.
      • 4. Henry Brooke baptised 6 August and buried 21 December 1691.
      • 4. Peter Brooke, Esq. of Mere, baptised 28 June 1695.  High sheriff of Cheshire in 1728, died  31 Dec. 1764, aged 69, buried at Rostherne on 4 Jan. 1765.  He married Frances Mottershead Hollinshead, sole daughter and heiress of Francis Hollinshead, Esq. of Wheelock, Co. Cheshire, by Felicia dau. of William Lawton of Lawton Esq.  Frances died 23 May, 1777, aged 79.
        • 5.  Peter Brooke, Esq. of Mere, baptised 5 February 1722.  High sheriff of Cheshire 1766.  He died 4 Jan 1783  aged 60 buried at Rostherne on 9 January 1783.  He married 1st Anne Meriel, dau. of Fleetwood Legh of Lyme, by Meriel sole dau. and heiress of Sir Francis Leicester of Tabley, Bart.  Ann Meriel died without issue on 1 April 1740 aged 21.  He married 2nd Elizabeth, dau. and heiress of Jonas Langford, Esq. of Antigua.  Elizabeth died 15 Dec. 1809 aged 75, buried at Rostherne.
          • 6.  Peter Langford Brooke, baptised  24 Jan 1757, buried 6 June 1766.
          • 6.  Jonas Langford Brooke, baptised 14 Sept. 1758; died in Milan on 19 July 1784, aged 26 and buried at Rostherne on 23 November 1784.
          • 6.  Thomas Langford Brooke of Mere, baptised 20 December 1769.  He was Lieu. Col. 1st Cheshire Yeomanry and D.L. of Cheshire.  He married Maria, daughter of the Rev. Sir Thomas Broughton of Broughton and Doddington, Bart. Thomas died 21 Dec. 1815
            • 7.  Peter Langford Brooke of Mere, born  23 April 1793, High Sheriff of Cheshire 1824. Peter drowned at Mere, 9 January 1840, and left no issue.
            • + 1st, in 1818, Elizabeth Sophia, eldest daughter of Vice Admiral Sir Charles Rowley, KCB.
            • + 2nd, in 1836, Julia Seymour Buccleuch, daughter of Col. John Campbell of Shawfield.
            • 7.  Thomas Langford Brooke, born 3 Sept. 1794, married 3 Jun 1817 to his cousin. Thomas succeeded his brother. He died 24 Jan 1848.
            • + Eliza, daughter of John Clough, Esq. of Oxton Hall, Norton Conyers, Yorkshire by his wife Eliza, the dau. of the Rev. Sir Thomas Delves Broughton. 
              • 8. Thomas Langford Brooke, born 16 Mar 1820, m. 21 April 1841. He died 2 April 1865.
              • + Catherine Mary, dau. of Col. Alexander MacLeod.
                • 9.  Thomas William Langford Brooke born 8 May 1843, was the last of the Brooke line and died  unmarried 1872. The estate subsequently went to a cousin on his mother's side of the family.
              • 8.  Frederick Langford Brooke (heir general)
              • 8.  Charles Langford Brooke married and had issue.
              • 8.  Eliza Maria
              • 8.  H? married William Smallcombe, Esq.
              • 8.  Charlotte
              • 8.  Julia
            • 7.  John Langford Brooke, buried 28 January 1801.
            • 7.  William Henry Langford Brooke, Capt. 31st Regiment, died unmarried in 1839.
            • 7.  Charles Spencer Langford Brooke, born 5 April 1805, died young
            • 7.  Jonas Langford Brooke born  8 July 1809.
            • 7.  Maria Elizabeth born 6 October 1790, married  Meyrick Banks, Esq. of Winstanley Hall, Lancs.  She died 1 March 1828.
            • 7.  Jemima, born 6 November 1791, married  Col. Sir Jeremiah Dickson , KCB. (Burke's Landed Gentry has him as Sir Jeremiah Dickson, KCM but Finlayson, the Brookes' own historian, has him as KCB.)
          • 6.  Elizabeth married on 13 December 1785 Randle Ford, Esq., barrister of Wexham, Bucks.  She died in 1806.
          • 6.  Frances m. Thomas Oliver, jun. Esq. of Laytonstone.
          • 6.  Jane, married 1st William Hulton of Hulton Park Lancs., married 2nd William Tyrrell Boyce, Esq.
          • 6.  Isabella, baptised  20 Jan 1771.
        • 5.  John Brooke baptised 26 October 1731, died  unmarried, 29 Mar 1780, aged 49, buried 1 April 1780.
        • 5.  Felicia baptised 5 June 1723,  died 15 October 1805.
        • +   George Heron, Esq. purchaser of the manor of Daresbury who died 8 February 1780. See footnotes.
          • 6. George Heron, MA, eldest son, baptised 6 Dec 1748, became Rector of Lymm, died 1832, aged 83
          • 6. Peter Kyffin Heron, of Daresbury Hall and Moor, 2nd son, baptised 8 November 1751, Sheriff of Cheshire in 1777, married at Daresbury 20 Oct 1768. Peter died 21 April 1801
            + Rebecca Rutter the daughter and heiress of Richard Rutter of Moor.
            • 7. (General) Peter Heron of Moore, esq. only son, born 19 May 1770, died 1849.
            • + Catherine daughter of Edward Gregg Hopwood of Hopwood, Lancashire, buried at All Saints, Daresbury, Cheshire.
              • 8. George Heron, MA of Moore Hall, born 12 March 1805, clerk in holy orders, Rural Dean and Hon. Canon of Chester Cathedral, died 27 August 1894, buried at Daresbury.
              • 8. Harry Heron of Frodsham and Manley Hall (1809-1874) captain in the 29th Regiment of Foot, died in London on 30 July 1874. There is a brass plaque memorial to him at Daresbury, erected by his widow, Elizabeth, daughter of S. Freeman of Chester, MD.
              • 8. Emma, died in infancy.
              • 8. Catherine Heron (1800-1868)
              • 8. Mary Felicia Heron, born 6 May 1801, died 22 July 1869.
              • + John Smith Barry, Esq., of Marbury Hall on 24 November 1835
            • 7. Elizabeth Heron born 21 December 1771, died Knutsford 23 October 1837
            • 7. Catherine Heron, erected a monument to her parents at All Saints, Daresbury in 1804.
          • 6. William Henry Heron, MA, vicar of Middlewich, born 21 April 1768.
          • 6. John Brooke Heron, baptised 1 August 1755, Rostherne
          • 6. Felicia, baptised 21 May 1757, Rostherne.
          • 6. Ann Meriel Heron
          • 6. Catherine Heron
          • 6. Frances Elizabeth Heron, baptised 23 June 1759.
        • 5.  Elizabeth baptised 9 September 1727,  married 25 April 1765, to Rev. Thomas Patten DD, rector of Childrey, Berkshire.
        • 5.  Frances, baptised 18 July 1734, died unmarried.
      • 4.  Margaret, baptised 13 May 1688, buried 25 October 1705.
      • 4. Elizabeth baptised 22 June 1690, married Thomas Ravenscroft, Esq. of Pickhill, Co. Flint
  • 2. Richard Brooke, 2nd son, (1640-1715) 
  • + Margaret, daughter and heiress of Robert Charnock, Esq. of Charnock, Lancashire, leading to the Brookes of Astley Hall near Chorley in Lancashire.
    • 3. Peter Brooke (1673-1721) died without issue.
    • 3. Thomas Brooke (1684-1734)
    • + Margaret Wharton (1645-1744)
      • 4. Richard Brooke (1717-1748)
      • 4. Peter Brooke, died in 1786
      • + Susanna Crookhall of Clifton, died 1789
        • 5. Peter Brooke (1764-1787), died without issue.
        • 5. Susannah Brooke (1762-1852). Susannah married twice her second husband was Sir Henry Philip Hoghton of Hoghton Towers in Lancashire.
        • + 1st husband, Thomas Townley Parker of Cuerden (1760-1794). As a result of this match, Astley Hall descended to the Townley Parkers and eventually to the Tattons of Wythenshawe.
          • 6. Robert Townley Parker (1793-1879)
          • + Harriet Brook of Minshall in Cheshire, born 1798
            • 7. Thomas Townley Parker (1822-1906) married Katherine Blackburn of Preston
            • 7. Harriet Susan Townley Parker
            • + Thomas William Tatton of Wythenshawe (1816-1885)
              • 8. Reginald Arthur Tatton (1857-1926) conveyed Astley Hall to Chorley Corporation in 1922 as a war memorial and museum. It is open to the public.

Elizabeth Brooke wife of the late Peter Brooke, died 15 Dec. 1809

Jonas Langford Brooke died at Milan,on 19 July 1784, aged 26.	Thomas Langford Brooke, died 21 Dec. 1815

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