Broughs of Blurton, Staffordshire

Several Brough families settled in Blurton, Staffordshire during the 1800's. The ancestors of those families extend back to the Broughs of Leek, Staffordshire, in the 1500's. Below is information about one of these families.

MILITARY SERVICE OF THOMAS BROUGH, 1804-1820

The military service of "Thomas Brough" is listed in the "United Kingdom, Chelsea Pensioners' Service Records, 1760-1913" (available and posted on FamilySearch). According to his service record, Thomas Brough enlisted "at the Age of 21" (when he was really only 17 years old) for "Unlimited Service" in the "Twenty First Regiment of Light Dragoons" on 2 December 1804 in Trentham, Newcastle, Staffordshire. (The Light Dragoons is a cavalry regiment in the British Army.) He then served for "15 Years and 187 Days, after the Age of Eighteen", during which he was a Private for more than 3 years, a Corporal for more than 3 years, and a Sergeant for more than 8 years. Between 1811 and 1817 he served as a sergeant in his regiment--which was stationed at the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, prior to 1817. (The 21st First Regiment of Light Dragoons were withdrawn from the Cape in 1817; see: http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol124vm.html.) He also served in the "East Indies from 9 September 1817 to 13 April 1820." He was discharged from military duty on 9 May 1820 due to "his having a Rupture on the left side" of his body when he was "about 36 Years of Age", at which time he was described as being "Five Feet Eight Inches in height, Dark Brown Hair, Grey Eyes, Ruddy Complexion, and by Trade or Occupation a Cordwainer".

Historical Note about the British Mililtary at the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, during the 1800's: "The British [military at the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa] were, in theory, opposed to the communal barracks favoured on the Continent, which concentrated troops 'in their own military world'. Nevertheless, many soldiers were housed in ill-provided barracks of that kind. For decades, they slept four to a wooden crib, and the overcrowding was not markedly reduced when they were supplied with separate beds. Floggings of 1 000 lashes and more were not uncommon. By and large, conditions only improved for the rank and file in the late 19th century (Barnett, 1970, p241 Spiers, 1980, pp 55-8, 72). These circumstances should be borne in mind when considering conditions in the Cape Corps. If they lend credence to the fairly frequent claim that the corpsmen were indulged in certain ways, this was primarily with regard to the provision made for soldiers' families. Men in British regiments could marry at any time, but only six soldiers in every 100 were allowed to marry on the strength of a unit - that is, to have their families live with them. Initially at the Cape, the wives and children of recruits were left behind, on farms or at the mission stations. The Batavian General Janssens believed the mens' habits would improve if their families accompanied them, and from then on many followed the soldiers to their camp. The government subsisted the recruits' dependants, a practice introduced, as Governor Somerset later had to explain, to encourage the men to enlist, and to curb the desertion rate." (Source: http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol124vm.html)

In the 1851 Census, Thomas Brough is listed as being about 65 years old (born about 1786), born in Trentham, Staffordshire, working as a "Shoemaker [and a] Chelsea Pensioner", and residing with his wife, "S", and two of their children, in Blurton, Trentham, Staffordshire. "To be...a Chelsea Pensioner a candidate must be a former soldier or non-commissioned officer of the British Army (including National Service) or a former officer of the British Army who served in the ranks for at least 12 years or was awarded a disablement pension while serving in the ranks. They must be over 65 years of age...." (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea_Pensioner)

Interestingly, Thomas Brough (1787-1860) is a "7th Cousin" to Richard Brough (1786-1873)--who also served in the British military as a member of the 8th Battalion of the Royal Artillery Service from 1805 to 1823.

Family of Thomas Brough and Sarah Myatt

Thomas Brough, 1787-1860, born in Trentham, buried in Blurton, Staffordshire

Thomas Brough is listed in FamilySearch Family Tree under PID # KZJH-V48

First wife: Elizabeth, 1791-1820, of Cape Town, South Africa, died before 1820 in South Africa

Married: about 1813, Cape Town, South Africa.

Children:

Sarah Brough, born 1814, born in Cape Town, South Africa

William Brough, 1817-1876, born in Cape Town, South Africa

Second wife: Sarah Myatt, 1800-1870, born in Trentham, buried in Blurton, Staffordshire

Married: 1820 in Norton in the Moors, Staffordshire

Children:

Elizabeth Brough, 1821-1892, born in Blurton, died in Newcastle, Staffordshire

Joseph Brough, 1823-1905, born in Blurton, died in Burslem, Staffordshire

Robert Brough, 1826-1842, born and died in Blurton, Stafforshire

Ann Brough, 1830-1872, born in Blurton, Staffordshire, died in Banbury, Oxfordshire

Eliza Brough, 1832-1846, born and died in Blurton, Staffordshire

Thomas Brough, 1835-1841, born and died in Blurton, Staffordshire

George Brough, 1838-1903, born in Blurton, died in Longton, Staffordshire

Harriet Brough, 1841-1901, born in Blurton, died in Briston, Norfolk

CENSUS REPORTS on THOMAS BROUGH:

In the 1841 Census, Thomas Brough is listed as being about 50 years old (born about 1791), born in Staffordshire, working as a "Shoem[aker]", and residing with his wife, Sarah, and five of their (listed) children, in Blurton, Trentham, Staffordshire.

In the 1851 Census, Thomas Brough is listed as being about 65 years old (born about 1786), born in Trentham, Staffordshire, working as a "Shoemaker [and a] Chelsea Pensioner", and residing with his wife, "S", and two of their children, in Blurton, Trentham, Staffordshire.

CENSUS REPORTS on SARAH MYATT BROUGH:

In the 1841 Census, Sarah (Brough) is listed as being about 40 years old (born about 1801), born in Staffordshire, and residing with her husband, Thomas Brough, and five of their (listed) children, in Blurton, Trentham, Staffordshire.

In the 1851 Census, Sarah (Brough)--identified in the census as "S" Brough--is listed as being about 51 years old (born about 1800), born in Trentham, Staffordshire, and residing with her husband, Thomas Brough, and two of their children, in Blurton, Trentham, Staffordshire.

In the 1861 Census, Sarah (Brough) is listed as being about 60 years old (born about 1801), born in Trentham, a "Widow", and residing with five of her children in Blurton, Trentham, Staffordshire.