Brandling of Newcastle
Encyclopedia
The Brandlings of Newcastle were a wealthy family of merchants and land and coal owners in Newcastle upon Tyne
and Northumberland
.
His son Sir Robert Brandling (d.1568) served as Sheriff of Newcastle in 1524 and also as Mayor in 1536, 1543, 1547 and 1564. In 1547 , whilst Mayor, he was knighted by the Duke of Somerset
, Lord Protector
, following the Battle of Musselborough. He was Custos Rotulorum of Northumberland
.
Another son Henry Brandling (1515-1578) was Sheriff of Newcastle in 1566 and Mayor of the city in 1568, 1575 1576. His brother Thomas Brandling (b. 1512-1590) was educated at the newly established Royal Grammar School, Newcastle
and created the land and coal owning dynasty.
. He avoided Sequestration of his estate and returned to England. His brother Roger was killed in battle during the conflict.
, and Alnwick Abbey
but by 1605 their seat had been established at Felling Hall, Felling, Northumberland.
The family fortunes were largely derived from the exploitation of coal reserves under their lands. Coal was worked at Felling from about 1670. The deep mine at Felling Colliery was sunk by the Brandlings in 1779. Their mines were linked to the River Tyne
by wagonways.
A disaster at their Felling Colliery in 1812, when 91 lives were lost, was largely responsible for the pressure to develop a miners safety lamp
. Ironically, Felling Hall fell victim to mining subsidence and had to be demolished.
Other estates acquired included Shotton, Peterlee, Durham and Middleton near Leeds in West Yorkshire.
in 1781 was Member of Parliament
for Newcastle
1784-1798.
He married Elizabeth Thompson , heiress of Shotton , near Peterlee and built a new mansion house, Shotton Hall
, there in about 1760. He also built a new mansion , to a design by architect Payne , at Gosforth House
between 1755 and 1764 and this house became the family seat .
Charles John Brandling (1797-1856) of Gosforth was Member of Parliament
for Newcastle
1798-1812 and for Northumberland 1820-1826. He married Henrietta Armitage, heiress of Middleton, near Rothwell, West Yorkshire. He was chairman in 1815 of the committee set up to establish the remuneration to be paid to George Stephenson
for the invention of the Geordie lamp
. His mining interests included Felling, Gosforth where a deep mine was sunk in 1825, Heworth, Coxlodge, Kenton and Middleton. At Middleton he employed John Blenkinsop
who in 1812 converted the wagonway from Brandling's collieries into a rack and pinion steam railway, the Middleton Railway
. However he overindulged in coal speculations which led to financial difficulties and the sale of many of the family's estates; Shotton in 1850 and Gosforth and Felling in 1852. Thereafter the family seat was Middleton Lodge, Middleton, West Yorkshire.
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
.
Early Brandlings
Sir John Brandling who was knighted at Blackheath in 1497 and married Elizabeth Helye of Northumberland and settled in Newcastle where he served as Sheriff in 1505 and as Mayor in 1509, 1512, 1516 and 1520.His son Sir Robert Brandling (d.1568) served as Sheriff of Newcastle in 1524 and also as Mayor in 1536, 1543, 1547 and 1564. In 1547 , whilst Mayor, he was knighted by the Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset is a title in the peerage of England that has been created several times. Derived from Somerset, it is particularly associated with two families; the Beauforts who held the title from the creation of 1448 and the Seymours, from the creation of 1547 and in whose name the title is...
, Lord Protector
Lord Protector
Lord Protector is a title used in British constitutional law for certain heads of state at different periods of history. It is also a particular title for the British Heads of State in respect to the established church...
, following the Battle of Musselborough. He was Custos Rotulorum of Northumberland
Custos Rotulorum of Northumberland
This is a list of people who have served as Custos Rotulorum of Northumberland.* Robert Horsley bef. 1547–?* Sir Robert Brandling bef. 1558–1568* Sir John Forster bef. 1573 – aft. 1594* Ralph Eure, 4th Baron Eure 1596–1598...
.
Another son Henry Brandling (1515-1578) was Sheriff of Newcastle in 1566 and Mayor of the city in 1568, 1575 1576. His brother Thomas Brandling (b. 1512-1590) was educated at the newly established Royal Grammar School, Newcastle
Royal Grammar School, Newcastle
Royal Grammar School Newcastle upon Tyne, known locally and often abbreviated as RGS, is a long-established co-educational, independent school in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It gained its Royal Charter under Queen Elizabeth I...
and created the land and coal owning dynasty.
Civil war
The Brandlings had Catholic sympathies and Robert Brandling (1617-1690) served in the King's army in the rank of Colonel. He escaped to Scotland where he remained until after the RestorationEnglish Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
. He avoided Sequestration of his estate and returned to England. His brother Roger was killed in battle during the conflict.
Estates
The family acquired by marriage, estates at GosforthGosforth
Gosforth is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom, to the north of the city centre. Gosforth constituted an urban district from 1895 to 1974, when it became part of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. It has a population of 23,620...
, and Alnwick Abbey
Alnwick Abbey
Alnwick Abbey was founded as a Premonstratensian monastery in 1147 by Eustace fitz John near Alnwick, England, as a daughter house of Newhouse Abbey in Lincolnshire. It was dissolved in 1535, refounded in 1536 and finally suppressed in 1539. It was granted to the Sadler and Winnington...
but by 1605 their seat had been established at Felling Hall, Felling, Northumberland.
The family fortunes were largely derived from the exploitation of coal reserves under their lands. Coal was worked at Felling from about 1670. The deep mine at Felling Colliery was sunk by the Brandlings in 1779. Their mines were linked to the River Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
by wagonways.
A disaster at their Felling Colliery in 1812, when 91 lives were lost, was largely responsible for the pressure to develop a miners safety lamp
Geordie lamp
The Geordie lamp was invented by George Stephenson in 1815 as a solution to explosions due to firedamp in coal mines.Although controversy arose between Stephenson's design and the Davy lamp, , Stephenson's original design worked on significantly different principles...
. Ironically, Felling Hall fell victim to mining subsidence and had to be demolished.
Other estates acquired included Shotton, Peterlee, Durham and Middleton near Leeds in West Yorkshire.
Notable Brandlings
Charles Brandling ( 1733-1802) was High Sheriff of NorthumberlandHigh Sheriff of Northumberland
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of the English county of Northumberland.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post...
in 1781 was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Newcastle
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (UK Parliament constituency)
Newcastle-upon-Tyne was a borough constituency in the county of Northumberland of the House of Commons of England to 1706 then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918...
1784-1798.
He married Elizabeth Thompson , heiress of Shotton , near Peterlee and built a new mansion house, Shotton Hall
Shotton Hall
Shotton Hall is a Grade II listed building, formerly a mansion house, now operated by Peterlee Town Council as offices and a conference centre.The Manor of Shotton, near Peterlee, Durham, was owned by the Thompson family...
, there in about 1760. He also built a new mansion , to a design by architect Payne , at Gosforth House
Gosforth House
Gosforth House now known as Brandling House is a Grade II listed building built as a mansion house and now serving as a hospitality and conference centre at Gosforth Park Racecourse, Newcastle upon Tyne, England....
between 1755 and 1764 and this house became the family seat .
Charles John Brandling (1797-1856) of Gosforth was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Newcastle
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (UK Parliament constituency)
Newcastle-upon-Tyne was a borough constituency in the county of Northumberland of the House of Commons of England to 1706 then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918...
1798-1812 and for Northumberland 1820-1826. He married Henrietta Armitage, heiress of Middleton, near Rothwell, West Yorkshire. He was chairman in 1815 of the committee set up to establish the remuneration to be paid to George Stephenson
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
for the invention of the Geordie lamp
Geordie lamp
The Geordie lamp was invented by George Stephenson in 1815 as a solution to explosions due to firedamp in coal mines.Although controversy arose between Stephenson's design and the Davy lamp, , Stephenson's original design worked on significantly different principles...
. His mining interests included Felling, Gosforth where a deep mine was sunk in 1825, Heworth, Coxlodge, Kenton and Middleton. At Middleton he employed John Blenkinsop
John Blenkinsop
John Blenkinsop was an English mining engineer and an inventor of steam locomotives, who designed the first practical railway locomotive....
who in 1812 converted the wagonway from Brandling's collieries into a rack and pinion steam railway, the Middleton Railway
Middleton Railway
The Middleton Railway is the world's oldest continuously working railway. It was founded in 1758 and is now a heritage railway run by volunteers from The Middleton Railway Trust Ltd...
. However he overindulged in coal speculations which led to financial difficulties and the sale of many of the family's estates; Shotton in 1850 and Gosforth and Felling in 1852. Thereafter the family seat was Middleton Lodge, Middleton, West Yorkshire.