Sir Berney Brograve, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Berney Brograve, 1st Baronet (10 October 1726 - 23 February 1797) was the eldest son and heir of Thomas Brograve (1691–1753) of Great Baddow
, Essex
, and his wife Juliana Berney. He was a descendant of Sir John Brograve (d. 1613), Attorney-General to the Duchy of Lancaster
. Juliana Berney was descended from Sir Richard Berney, 1st Baronet of Parkhall
.
and Horsey
in Norfolk
, and so began the “notorious” Brograve family of Waxham. Initially they lived at Waxham Hall which was built in the 16th Century by the Woodhouse
family.
Berney and the Brograve Mill
(which he built to drain the land at Brograve Level), where he is said to have hidden from the devil, and he is also reputed to have had a mowing match for his soul with the devil at Worstead
.
, Essex
. They had four children, only two of whom survived, including Ann who married Dr John Rye, the founder of The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society
. After his first wife’s death Brograve married secondly, in 1769, Jane Halcott, sole heiress of Matthew Halcott of Litcham
. Most of their eleven children died in infancy, and their son, George
succeeded as 2nd Baronet in 1797. A granddaughter married Sir William Beauchamp-Proctor, 3rd Baronet
, in whose family the name of Brograve descended as a given name.
for Sir Berney Brograve, was eventually demolished in 1937, “a fine red brick mansion, situated within a noble park of 400 acres, which contains a lake covering 8¼ acres”. After building his mansion-house at Worstead
he was described as occasionally inhabiting the manor house at Waxham. An account written in 1854 describes the manner in which Brograve lived at Waxham Hall: “He farmed his own land and had about a hundred workmen lodging in his house; these all dined in the great hall together, and Sir Berney every now and then ‘knocked down’ a bullock for them to live upon”.
Berney was created a Baronet in 1791 and died intestate in 1797. His second wife, Lady Jane, died in 1793 at Waxham, followed the next day by the death of their 18 year-old son, Thomas.
According to local legend, like his ancestors, Sir Berney is still around and can be seen on wild and stormy nights galloping between Worstead and Waxham.
Great Baddow
Great Baddow is an urban village in the Chelmsford borough of Essex, England. It is close to the county town, Chelmsford and, with a population of over 13,000, is one of the largest villages in the country....
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, and his wife Juliana Berney. He was a descendant of Sir John Brograve (d. 1613), Attorney-General to the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
. Juliana Berney was descended from Sir Richard Berney, 1st Baronet of Parkhall
Berney Baronets
The Berney Baronetcy, of Parkehall in Redham in the County of Norfolk, is a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 5 May 1620 for Richard Berney, Sheriff of Norfolk in 1622. The sixth Baronet was Sheriff of Norwich in 1762...
.
Brograve Mill
In 1733 Thomas Brograve purchased the manors of WaxhamWaxham
Waxham is a small village in Norfolk in eastern England. It lies on the north-east coast of the county in Sea Palling parish. Buildings in the village include Waxham Hall, the 14th-century St. John's Church and the 16th-century Waxham Barn. One of the largest barns in the county, it has recently...
and Horsey
Horsey, Norfolk
Horsey is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk within The Broads National Park.It covers an area of and had a population of 99 in 40 households as of the 2001 census....
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, and so began the “notorious” Brograve family of Waxham. Initially they lived at Waxham Hall which was built in the 16th Century by the Woodhouse
Woodhouse
- Places :*Annesley Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, England*Dronfield Woodhouse, Derbyshire, England*Holbeck Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, England*Horsley Woodhouse, Derbyshire, England*Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, England*Over Woodhouse, Derbyshire, England...
family.
Berney and the Brograve Mill
Brograve Mill
Brograve Mill is a windpump located on Brograve level in the parish of Sea Palling within the Norfolk Broads National Park, United Kingdom it can be found at and is approximately 1 mile north of Horsey Mere. The mill is a grade II listed building....
(which he built to drain the land at Brograve Level), where he is said to have hidden from the devil, and he is also reputed to have had a mowing match for his soul with the devil at Worstead
Worstead
Worstead is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It lies 5 km south of North Walsham, 9 km north of Wroxham, and 20 km north of Norwich. The village is served by Worstead railway station on the Bittern Line....
.
Family
In 1761 Brograve married Jane, eldest daughter of Edward Hawker of Great BaddowGreat Baddow
Great Baddow is an urban village in the Chelmsford borough of Essex, England. It is close to the county town, Chelmsford and, with a population of over 13,000, is one of the largest villages in the country....
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. They had four children, only two of whom survived, including Ann who married Dr John Rye, the founder of The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society
The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society
-The Shipwrecked Mariners Society:The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society or the Shipwrecked Mariners for short, is a national charity founded in 1839, which operates throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, whose purpose is to provide help to former merchant seamen,...
. After his first wife’s death Brograve married secondly, in 1769, Jane Halcott, sole heiress of Matthew Halcott of Litcham
Litcham
Litcham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some north-east of the town of Swaffham and west of the city of Norwich....
. Most of their eleven children died in infancy, and their son, George
Sir George Berney Brograve, 2nd Baronet
Sir George Berney Brograve, 2nd Baronet . Brograve was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Norfolk Militia and High Sheriff of Norfolk in 1802. He lived at Worstead House near Norwich, Norfolk. Sole survivor of eleven children from his father Sir Berney Brograve, 1st Baronet's second marriage, he succeeded...
succeeded as 2nd Baronet in 1797. A granddaughter married Sir William Beauchamp-Proctor, 3rd Baronet
Sir William Beauchamp-Proctor, 3rd Baronet
Admiral Sir William Beauchamp-Proctor, 3rd Baronet was an officer in the Royal Navy.The son of Sir Thomas Beauchamp-Proctor, 2nd Baronet and Mary Palmer, he succeeded to his father's baronetcy on 29 June 1827....
, in whose family the name of Brograve descended as a given name.
Worstead House
Worstead House, designed by James WyattJames Wyatt
James Wyatt RA , was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, who far outdid Adam in his work in the neo-Gothic style.-Early classical career:...
for Sir Berney Brograve, was eventually demolished in 1937, “a fine red brick mansion, situated within a noble park of 400 acres, which contains a lake covering 8¼ acres”. After building his mansion-house at Worstead
Worstead
Worstead is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It lies 5 km south of North Walsham, 9 km north of Wroxham, and 20 km north of Norwich. The village is served by Worstead railway station on the Bittern Line....
he was described as occasionally inhabiting the manor house at Waxham. An account written in 1854 describes the manner in which Brograve lived at Waxham Hall: “He farmed his own land and had about a hundred workmen lodging in his house; these all dined in the great hall together, and Sir Berney every now and then ‘knocked down’ a bullock for them to live upon”.
Berney was created a Baronet in 1791 and died intestate in 1797. His second wife, Lady Jane, died in 1793 at Waxham, followed the next day by the death of their 18 year-old son, Thomas.
According to local legend, like his ancestors, Sir Berney is still around and can be seen on wild and stormy nights galloping between Worstead and Waxham.