Brooks

James Brooks married Sarah Spratt (also recorded as Sarah Pratt) in 1804, and they had children George Brooks (1807), Charles Brooks (1809) and Daniel Brooks (1811), all born in East Harling, Norfolk

Daniel joined the army where he was a gunner. He married Mary Ann who came from Canterbury, Kent (I have no evidence for her details, though other researchers have recorded that she was Mary Ann Macdonald and that they married in 1834 in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland).

They must have travelled extensively with the army for their children were born in diverse places:

• Margaret Brooks born about 1835 in Huntly, Scotland married George Barnes in 1862.
   
  George (1835) was the son of James Barnes (1797) & Mary (1800 Bawburgh). He was one of 9 siblings: James Barnes (1829), Rebecker Barnes (1831), William Barnes (1833), Mary / Marian Barnes (1834), Charlotte Barnes (1838), Richard Barnes (1839), Eliza Barnes (1843) and Emma Barnes (1847).
   
  George & Margaret had children William George Barnes (1862) who married Eliza Alderton (1866), and Charles Daniel Barnes (1864)
• James Brooks born about 1837 in Woolwich, Kent
   
• John Brooks born about 1841 in Celon
   
• Charles Brooks born about 1845 in Portsmouth, Hants
   
• James Brooks born about 1846 in Portsmouth
   
• George Brooks born about 1848 in Woolwich
   
• Maria Gale Brooks born 1851 in Greenwich

Maria had an illegitimate child, Bertha Maria Brooks in 1872 in East Harling. Presumably the father was John Bullen (1820 of Saham Toney, Norfolk) whom she married less than a week after the child was baptised.

John, a butcher and Inn keeper, was the son of Robert Bullen (1820) & Mary (1813), the grandson of Joseph Bullen (1775) & Elizabeth (1780), and one of 9 siblings: Robert Bullen (1841), Mary Bullen (1843), Joseph Bullen (1845), Charles Bullen (1847), Elizabeth Bullen (1849), Deborah Bullen (1853), James Bullen (1855) and Emma Bullen (1857).

As well as Bertha, John & Maria Gale had: John Bullen (1873), Charles Bullen (1875) and Mary E Bullen (1879)

Daniel Brooks retired from the army about 1852 returning to his home village of East Harling. Presumably after more than 20 years service. Thereafter his occupation was variously described as Pensioner and Labourer. To be a pensioner at age 43 can't be bad!

His wife, Mary Ann, died in 1853 and in 1855 at the age of 43 he married local girl Frances Ling (born about 1825) many years his junior.

Frances, the daughter of William Ling (born in Norfolk about 1790) and his wife Frances (also born in Norfolk about 1790), and sister of Samuel Ling (1825) and Charlet Ling (1829) came with her 10 year old illegitimate child Jane Ling (born 1845 East Harling).

At the 1851 census Jane Ling, then aged 6, was listed as a Pauper Scholar in the local workhouse.

In 1867 Jane married Robert Deynes (born 1827, the son of John Daynes & Salome Woods). I have not identified any children. Robert died in 1893 and in 1896 she married widower Daniel Day (1847)

The birth of Daniel Brooks & Frances' first child, Jacob, was registered in the same quarter as their marriage! They would have six children, all born in East Harling, making a total of 13 for Daniel. They were:

• Jacob Brooks born 1855 died 1862
• Eliza Brooks born 6 May 1857 who would marry Richard Warne
• William Brooks born about 1860
• Charlotte Maria Brooks born 1864 and married Francis James Arkell (1851) of Hucclecoat, Gloucestershire in Marylebone, London in 1885
• Mary Ann Brooks also known as Marion Brooks and Polly born about 1866 married Ernest Martin, lived in Eton, Buckinghamshire (near Windsor, Berkshire) and died 1947
• Christmas Brooks born 1868 who married Lydia Rosetta Cornell (1869) and raised three children (all born East Harling)

  Lydia Rosetta Cornell was the daughter of George Cornell (1840 Blo Norton, Norfolk) & Susan Holden (1840 South Lapham, Norfolk), the grandchild of William Cornell (1814 Walsham Le Will, Suffolk) & Emily English (1821 Blo Norton, Norfolk) and sister to Mary Cornell (1864), Jane Cornell (1865), Ann Cornell (1871 Garboldisham, Norfolk), William Cornell (1873), George Cornell (1874) and Albert Cornell (1876).

• Kate Brooks born about 1892
• Ella Brooks born about 1897
• Louisa Brooks born about Jan 1901

Daniel died in 1885. In 1891 his widow Frances was living in the household of her son Christmas, and in 1901 in the household of her daughter Jane. She died in 1910.

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