Despite the much better preservation of records, Yorkshire Broket numbers declined dramatically during the 16th C. York itself was in decay and from being the largest provincial city in Britain in 1377 with a population of c 11,000, by 1548 it was about the sixth largest with c 8,000 inhabitants (Palliser 1979 pp 201f, 224). Hertfordshire presented better prospects.

When the Fairfaxes took over lordship in Appleton in 1565, the Brokets there moved to the City. A line lived on there till 1720, but there were only 2 other records from the 18th C in the whole of Yorkshire.

1508	William	Bolton Percy parish	i
1508	John	Bolton Percy parish	ii
1508	Thomas	Bolton Percy parish	iii
1508	William	Bolton Percy parish	iv
1508	Robert	Bolton Percy parish
1522	Isabella	City	v
1523	Robert	Appleton, Ainsty
1530s	Robert	Appleton, Ainsty
1532	John Esq	Wheathampstead, Herts
1538	Anne	Bolton Percy parish	vi
1538	Edwarde	Bolton Percy parish	vii
1538	John	Bolton Percy parish	viii
1543	Robert	Appleton
1547/8	Edward	City?	vii
1538-	John	City	viii
1558-	John Esq	Wheathampstead, Herts	ix
1561	Master John	Appleton	viii
1583-	John the younger	City	x
1608-	Mathew	City	xi
1620-95	Benedick	City	xii
1650-	Philip	City	xiii
1664	Walter	Kingston upon Hull	xiv
1711	Jane and William	Moulton, N Yorkshire	xv
1736	John	Richmond, N Yorkshire	xvi

i. William d 1508

Will of William Brokett, written 19 Sep 1508, pr 21 Oct 1508 (BI Probate Register, v.7 f.60 r-v)

1. In the name of god amen the xix day of september in the
2. yere of our lord ml cccccviijavo I William Brokett of a hoyll mynd makes
3. my will In the 'first' parte I bekeyn my saule to god almyghty and
4. to our lady saynt mary and to all the holy company of heven' and
5. my body to be beryd in the kyrk garthe of bolton peyrsy Also I
6. gyffe my best beyste to be my mortuary Also I gyff to the he
7. alter for my tethys forgottyn xijd Also I gyffe to the iiij orders
8. of freers in the cytye of york ylke on of thayme a boshell of qweytte
9. Also I gyffe to the kyrk warke of bolton' percy xxd Also I gyff
10. to John Brokett my son ij bosheles of qwheit And ij of Ry Also
11. I gyfe to sir Thomas Landisdale pariche prest of bolton' xijd
12. Also I gyffe to Thomas Brokett and William all my geyre
13. that be longes to my body Also the Residew of goodes not bequest
14. be at the orderynge and disposynge of thaes men beyng my
15. sektors here foloyng Robert Brokett Thomas Morton' Charles
16. Hedon' And Master Fairfax sariand at the law and he to be
17. subvior and to se that my sektors performe my Will and thes men
18. as heir foloyinge berynge witnes sir Thomas Lonesdall Christofer
19. Smyth' John Bilton' and Rychard Bew

William worked the land of Bolton Percy. Bequeathing a bushel of wheat to each of the 4 orders of Friars in York suggests that he regularly took his produce to market in the City. A widower in 1508, he was probably born c 1450-60. Other than gifts totalling only 3s 8d, his bequests were mostly of crops. However, this does not mean he had nothing else to pass on:

Appointing 3 executors (one the senior Broket of the parish) plus an esquire as overseer suggests that he had.
This will is in fact a testament and any real—as opposed to personal—estate he may have had was either left to the discretion of the executors to administer or had already been passed on.

In these points William's will was similar to that of John, d 1472, who was in all likelihood his father. Like John, William willed to be buried in the churchyard. The Brockett Chapel may have been a chantry reserved for Thomas and Dionisia. Robert did not request burial there either.

William's will and the other documentary evidence show that in addition to the manor house family there was only one other Broket family in Bolton Percy parish in the 2nd half of the 15th C.

ii. John 1508

John Brokett is known only as a legatee in his father William's will of 1508. To be bequeathed bushels of grain means he was an adult, therefore born at the latest 1487.

iii. Thomas 1508

Thomas Brokett is known only as a legatee in his brother William's will of 1508.

iv. William 1508

William Brokett is known as a legatee in 3 wills: William's of 1508, Elsabeth Holme's of 1538 and Isabell Godson's of 1546, by which time he would have been in his 50s or more:

In the name of god allbe it the Sexte daie of Aprile in the yere of oure Lorde god almightie ml vc xlvj I Isabell Godson of Appleton within the parishe of Bolton percie of hooll mynde and good of memorie mackes this my last will and testament in manner and forme followinge ffirst I bequeath my saule to god almightie to our ladie sancte marie And to all the sanctes in heven' / and my bodie to [be] buried with in the churche of All sanctes in Bolton percie aforesaid Item I giue to John Bilton' halfe an acre of wheate of the grounde and halfe an acre of waire corne Item to William Brokett half an acre of sawne and half an acre of waire corne Item to Richarde Bewet half an acre of wheate And halfe an acre of waire corne The Residue of all my goodes ... I give to Sir Roland Godson my sone ...

BI Probate Register v.13, f.137

v. Isabella 1522

Isabella Brokete was admitted a member of the Corpus Christi Guild in 1522 (Register of the Guild 1872 p 200).

vi. Anne 1538

The only records of Anne Brokett are in the wills of Elsabeth Holme in 1538 and husband Robert's of 1542 as sole executrix. After this she would probably have remained as Lady of Brockethall manor so long as one of her sons was under 21.

vii. Edwarde 1538

Three records of Edwarde Brokett survive. He is mentioned in the wills of Elsabeth Holme of 1538 and father Robert's of 1542. Edward may subsequently have moved to York City, where he was one of 12 legatees of the will of William Browne, Priest of St John's Ousebridge, pr 4 Feb 1547/8, in which he received 3s 4d and his short gowne (Cross 1989 p 44).

Robert named him in his will before John, so perhaps Edward was the elder son. However John became Lord of Brockethall manor. Both would have been born in the 1520s.

viii. Mr John, Lord of Brockethall and Notary Public b 1520s d 1604

The first records of John are in the wills of Elsabeth Holme in 1538 and father Robert's of 1542. That he was still working in 1593, aged perhaps 65-8, and died 1604, allows an estimated birth c 1525-8.

How soon after his father's death he became Lord of Brockethall manor is not known, but it was by 1561 at the latest. In February that year Robert Cowper of Appleton bequeathed John 1 gray gelding, 1 two-year-old bay colt and 2 rials of gold on request that he be a good lord to his poor relatives (BI Probate Register v 17, f 5; M J Harrison 2000 p 78). John's legacy appears to have been larger than any other non-Cowper family member's:

In the name of God Amen the xvth day of februarye in the yere of our lord god 1561 I Robert Cowper of Appleton of perfect memorie and sole of body maykyth this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following. fyrst and pryncypallie I bequythe my sawlle to god allmightie and my bodye to buried within the Churche of allhallowes of bolton percye Item I bequythe vnto the Churche of Bolton percye vjs viijd and iijs iiijd to be gyven for the tacking upp of my stawle, and setting downe agane Item I bequythe to the poore folkes in Appleton xiijs ... Item I bequythe to Master Brocket one gray gelding that allmels and one bay Colte that is two yeres old desyring hym to be good lord to my poore kynne Item I bequythe to Mr Brocket twoo Rialls of gold ...

John was the last Broket Lord in Appleton; the manor was sold in 1565 by Sir John Brockett of Wheathampstead, his 2nd cousin once removed. After this there is no further record of Brokets in Bolton Percy parish. The first 24 years of the parish registers 1571-94 recorded no Broket baptisms, burials or marriages (BI microfilm 644). If there were any surviving siblings or cousins, they had moved elsewhere. John's descendants lived on in York for 5 generations till 1720.

Although John had been Lord of the Manor in Appleton until 1565, he would have lived in York for many years before, training to be a Proctor. Prior to that he would have studied for minor orders, probably at Cambridge matriculating at Trinity College in 1554—and therefore not marrying before late 1557. 3 years at Cambridge followed by 7 or more at York led in 1566 to being given the freedom of York City as a Notary Public (Freeman of York 1896 vol 2 p 8).

'In medieval York the proctors, who were almost necessarily notaries also, formed something very like a guild or collegium. The medieval notary was almost invariably in minor orders... Before becoming a proctor a man had to be articled for seven years to a senior proctor, and after that time he was admitted a notary by faculty of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and only then did he petition for admission as a proctor' (Purvis 1957 pp iv, vi).

Among other formal legal duties, notaries confirmed and authenticated the truth of deeds or writings. John's certification and interlacing sign with its motto veritas liberabit—'The truth will set [you] free'—are found on late 16th C York Diocesan Court Act Books and Cause Papers, e.g. BI Res 1583 (or R.IV.A.h.66, rather than BI ms R.IV.A.g.101—Purvis 1957 p 87), the resignation of a vicar 26 Nov 1583:

Original

Translation

1. Et ego Iohannes Brokett Ebor' diocesis publicus Auctoritate Regia notarius Et prefate

2. Resignacionis Lectioni interposicioni Cessioni Dimissioni et Renunciacioni Ceterisque

3. premissis omnibus et singulis sic vt premittitur sub Annis Domini Regnique Regine que nunc est

4. die et loco predictis agebantur et fiebant Vnacum prenominatis testibus presens personaliter

5. Interfui . Eaque omnia et singula sic fieri vidi sciui et audiui Ideo Hoc presens

6. publicum instrumentum manu aliena (me interim aliunde occupato) fideliter scriptum

7. et inde confeci Subscripsi et publicaui atque in hanc publicam et Auctenticam formam

8. Redegi . Signoque nomine et cognomine meis solitis et consuetis Signaui in fidem et

9. testimonium omnium et singulorum premissorum Rogatus et Requisitus.

1. And I John Brokett Notary Public of York diocese by Royal Authority, of the foresaid

2. Resignation, at the reading, interposition, giving up, surrender and renunciation and other things

3. specified above all and singular, as is specified above, in the years of the Lord and the reign of the Queen who now is

4. on the day and place above were done and performed, Along with the aforesaid witnesses personally present

5. I was, And all these things thus being done I saw, knew and heard. Therefore [I have] by this present

6. public instrument in another's hand (because I was busy elsewhere) faithfully written

7. and thus completed, written down and published and in this public and authentic format

8. issued [it] and have signed my ordinary and accustomed name and surname in faith and

9. witness of all these aforesaid things, having been asked and requested.

Notaries Public, as professional men, took precedence in ceremonies over city councillors (Ritchie 1956 p 51). In 1571 John was one of the 4 Chamberlains of the City (Freeman of York 1896 vol 2 p 12). He had servants, witnessed by the burial of an unnamed 'servant of Mr Brocket' in 1574 (St Helen's Parish Register f 71r).

Throughout the period 1563-82 John lived next door to Edward Fawkes and family, one of whom was the infamous Guy, baptised in St Michael le Belfry 1570. Edward Fawkes was a Notary Public in the ecclesiastical courts too—the Exchequer Court (Palliser 1979 p 140). John's children's would have played with Guy. An indenture of 8 July 1579 continued Edward's widow, Edith Fawkes, as the leaseholder of:

'a dwellinge house or tenemente in Stayngate within the Cyttye of Yorke... Boundinge on the southe syde vpon the tenemente of John' Brockett Publuque Notarie' (York Minster Library ms Wb—Dean and Chapter Register of Leases 1543-87—f 304r ll 22-25; A Raine 1955 p 122).

Stonegate was then one of the wealthiest streets in the City (Palliser 1979 p 139). Edward or Edith Fawkes paid taxes on goods valued at £10, while John paid taxes of between 3s and 6s 8d on goods valued at £3, rising to £4 from 1577 (York City Archives Accession no E51—City of York Royal Subsidies 1563-82—pp 20, 57, 95, 127, 158, 186, 210, 228, 261, 284, with name mainly spelt Broket). While the Fawkes' parish church was St Michael le Belfry, the Brockets' was St Helen's, at the other end of Stonegate (A Raine 1955 p 122).

St Helen's parish register has 16 Broket entries spanning 35 years 1569-1604, 6 of which relate to John the Notary Public (York City Library PR.Y.HEL.1—not transcribed in the YPRS series nor in the IGI):

bur	nancye Brocket	d/o John Brocket	20 Aug 1569	f69r
bur	francis Brocket	s/o John Brocket	17 Dec 1569	f70v
bur	Johanne Brocket	d/o John Brocket	2 Aug 1573	f71r
mar	Elizabeth Brocket	Thomas Spragon sadler	4 Sep 1582	f47v
bap	Elizabeth Broket	d/o John Broket younger	13 Sep 1583	f5r
bap	Thomas Brocket	s/o John Brocket younger	12 Sep 1586	f7v
bap	John Brocket	s/o John Brocket younger	14 Aug 1588	f7r
bur	John Brocket	s/o John Brocket proctor	12 May 1589	f78v
bur	John Brocket	s/o John Brocket younger	1 Aug 1590	f78r
bap	John Brocket	s/o John Brocket younger	24 Sep 1591	f9r
bap	Anne Brocket	d/o John Brocket younger	25 Dec 1592	f10r
bap	William Brocket	s/o John Brocket younger	8 Dec 1594	f11v
bap	Francis Brocket	s/o John Brocket younger	14 Jun 1596	f12v
bur	Anne Brocket	d/o John Brocket younger	21 Aug 1604	f84r
bur	Isabell Brockett	w/o John Brockett notary publiq	30 Aug 1604	f85v
bur	John Brockett	notrey publiq	3 Sep 1604	f85r

Late 16th C York Diocesan Court Act Books confirm that John the Notary was the father of John the younger. On 25 Mar 1594 he became 'Registrar of Deanery Court with his son John Brockett jun' (BIHR Index of Ecclesiastical Lawyers D/C AB).
From the 1580s when John the younger and his wife were having children John the elder was distinguished in the register by his profession. For the first 3 entries he didn't need to be.
Nancye and Francis bur 1569 may have been twins who died in infancy. The St Helen's register only began in 1568 and these names are not typical eldest child names. John and Isabell had had unrecorded children before: Elizabeth—who married Thomas Spragon 1582—and John for instance. John, however, was probably the only surviving son.
It is not known when or where the John bur 1589 was baptised—perhaps at home. He was the second of 2 sons of John the Notary called John, the elder one an independent householder known as John the younger by then.

John the Notary was closely involved with the Minster. In 1573 he was a supervisor, along with 3 clerics, of the will of the Vicar Choral, Robert Typpine, who bequeathed him 5s. An inventory in the same year following the will of another Vicar Choral, Robert Mell, showed that John was owed 10s in fees (Cross 1984 pp 120, 123). In 1583 John promoted a case of immorality for the Office against Gadyan Robinson of Bugthorpe (Longley 1980 p 32).

The last record of John at work is in the deposition given at York 1593, when he was still a Proctor in the ecclesiastical court, probably in his late 60s. Both he and his wife Isabell were buried in 1604 within a week of each other, during an outbreak of the plague in York.

ix. John Esq 1558-65

Deeds dated 1558, 1563 and 1565 record the sale of the Brockett estates in Bolton Percy parish by Hertfordshire John—later Sir John II—and his wife Elena. The final one included the sale of Brockethall manor to Thomas and Dorothea Fairfax (Leeds City Archives DB/65/8; YASRS, 2, Yorkshire Fines, pp 273, 274, 308, 310).

x. John the younger d 1604

Son of John Notary Public and Proctor, John was unlikely to have been born after 1560, probably nearer 1550. Between 1583-1604 John was recorded in St Helen's parish register for the baptism or burial of 7 children. Marriages were recorded there from 1573 but not John's. Perhaps he married in his wife's parish and moved to St Helen's some years later. Records of baptisms began in St Helen's in 1568 and their 7 children recorded there appear not to have been their complement. They had probably had a son Mathew by then, at least.

John worked as an Ecclesiastical Lawyer in his father's footsteps, but would have studied and trained locally, rather than at Cambridge like his father (BIHR index of Ecclesiastical Lawyers: 30 Mar 1593, 25 Mar 1594 D/C AB).

A lease of closes in More Moncketon—c 6 miles NW of York—dated 20 Apr 1592 by William Gibson Gent to John Brockett the younger and John Whittacres, for 21 years at a yearly rent of £6 was witnessed by the Lord Mayor of York, the Clerk of the Peace and others, and enrolled in the common register in the Council Chamber on Ouse Bridge, York (Brown 1913 p 132). The closes were sold 6 years later by John Brockett, without 'the younger'. John the elder, the Notary Public was still nevertheless alive.

After 21 Aug 1604 there are no more records of John the younger or his family in St Helen's. They were actually buried in nearby Holy Trinity Goodramgate a week or two later—John Brocket on 27 Aug, his wife on 7 Sep and their daughter Elizabeth on 7 Sep (YPRS 1911 vol 41 pp 54-5). But burial there was no doubt a symptom of the chaos caused by an outbreak of the plague. 3512 persons are said to have died from it in York in 1604, at its most virulent in August and September (Davies n d, pp 6, 7; Drake p 131). These were the same 2 months in which Anne, another of their daughters, and both parents John the elder and Isabell died.

Apart from probable son Mathew, their other children are not again recorded. If still alive when John and his wife died in 1604, they were:

Elizabeth aged 21
Thomas aged 18
John aged 13
William aged 10
Francis aged 8.

xi. Mathew mar 1608

Although there is no record of his baptism, Matthew was almost certainly a son of John the younger and his wife:

There was no other childbearing Broket couple in York at the time.
Given that men usually married aged 26 or more, (Laslett 1983, p 82 cites mean ages of bridegrooms in the Diocese of Canterbury 1619-60 as 26.65) Mathew's marriage to Anna in 1608 would place his birth c 1582. John the younger and his wife appear to have moved to St Helen's c 1583, which would explain Mathew's absence from the parish register.
St Michael le Belfry parish, next to St Helen's, records a marriage of Matthewe Brokell and Ann Bowe on 10 Apr 1597. Since Brokell is not a name otherwise appearing in 16-17th C York parish records, it is tempting to see this 1597 entry as a scribal error for Brokett. Inspection of the original entry, however, shows that the clerk shaped double ll completely differently to double t, so this was not a case of failure to cross the ts (York Minster Archives ms DEP/P/M. Cf the marriage of Sybell Typlady in Nov 1597 and the burial of Edward Fawcett in Dec 1597).
If Mathew had married first in 1597, it would push his birth back to the early 1570s, which would fit the family of neither John the younger nor John the Notary.

'Matheus Brocket nupsit (married) Anna Thomson' 4 Sep 1608, as recorded in All Saints Pavement registers (AS: YPRS 1935 vol 100 p 87). Their children were mostly recorded there:

1. Anna Brocket bap 31 Dec 1612 (AS p 38)
2. 'Rychard the sonne of mathewe brockett [baptised] the 26 of may' 1615 is the only Broket entry in the York St Crux parish register 1539-1837 (YPRS 1922 vol 70 p 25 and 1985 vol 149 p 241).
3. Jacobus Brocket bap 14 Sep 1617 bur 24 Dec 1618 (AS pp 42, 87)
4. Benedictus Brocktot [sic] bap 31 Dec 1620 (AS p 44)
5. ? Bryane Brockette bap 31 Dec 1626 (AS p 122)
6. ? Mary Brockett mar 16 May 1641 John Wilson by banns in St Martins Coney Street (YPRS 1909 vol 36 p 63).

Mathew and Anna were buried in All Saints Pavement: Mathew on 11 Aug 1625 and 'Mathew Brockitte wife' on 24 Jun 1631 (AS pp 121, 123). If they survived childhood it is not known what became of children Anna, Rychard or Bryane.

xii. Benedick 1620-95

Benedick son of Mathew was baptised in All Saints Pavement 1620 and buried there 1695 (AS p 238). Jane Brocket, widow, buried there 7 Jul 1702, would have been his wife. Between 1647-60 their children were recorded in St Martins Coney Street parish registers (M), thereafter in All Saints Pavement (AS):

1. Elizabeth bap 24 Jun 1647 d/o Benedick Brockett (M p 30)
2. Phillip bap 9 Jan 1650/1 s/o Benedick Brockett (M p 31)
3. Mathew bap 16 Mar 1652/3 s/o Benedick Brockett (M p 32)
4. Infant of Benedick Brockitt bur 1 Aug 1655 (M p 104)
5. Thomas bap 21 Jul 1658 s/o Benedicke Brockitt, bur 30 Jan 1659 (M pp 35, 107)
6. Benedick bap 18 Sep 1660 s/o Benedick Brockitt (M p 36) bur 15 Apr 1670 (AS p 149)
7. Charles bur 27 Dec 1664 s/o Benedick Brockit (AS p 145)
8. John bap 26 Aug and bur 27 Aug 1669 s/o Benedick Brockit (AS pp 73, 149)
9. Mary bap 19 Jan 1672/3 d/o Benidick Brockit (AS p 75)
10. Ann bap 1 Jul 1666 d/o Benidick Brockitt (AS p 70); Anne Brocket, spinster bur 22 Sep 1720 (AS p 253). Anne was the last Broket in York. Perhaps she was a daughter of Phillip.

If they survived childhood it is not known what became of children Elizabeth, Mathew or Mary. The 1673 grant of the freedom of the City of York to his son Philip describes Benedick as a 'Translator'—a Cobbler who restored old shoes to new. There is no record of his own freedom.

xiii. Philip 1650-

Son of Benedick, Philip was a Mariner and gained freedom of the City of York by patrimony in 1673 (Freemen of York 1896 vol 2 p 145). Baptised 1650, he would probably only have completed his apprenticeship by 1671. Phillip's children were recorded in 4 York parishes in 5 years, those of St John Ousebridge (JO: BI microfilm reel 16), All Saints Pavement (AS), St Martin and St Gregory (MG: Bulmer 1897) and St Mary Castlegate (MC: YPRS 1897 vol 134):

1. Phillip Brockitt bap 9 Aug 1674 (JO f 54v); Phillap son of Phillap Brockit bur 30 Nov 1678 (AS p 154)
2. Christopher Brockit bap 19 Nov 1676 bur 20 Nov 1676 (MG pp 98-9)
3. John Brockitt bap 6 Feb 1677/8 (MG p 99)
4. Phillip Brockitt bap 20 Dec 1679 bur 30 May 1681 (MC vol 1 pp 120, 122)

No more is known of this family. No marriages, burials or other baptisms were recorded 1655-86 in St John Ousebridge, St Martin & St Gregory or St Mary Castlegate. Son John may have been the only child to survive infancy. Did he later live in Richmond?

xiv. Walter 1664

18 Nov 1664: Certificate by Richard Ogden that the presence of Walter Brocket of Kingston upon Hull is needed in a suit which he has in the Court of Exchequer against Edward Thorold (State Papers Domestic p 78, SP 29 105 no 14).
19 Nov 1664: Bond of Walter Brocket of Kingston upon Hull and two others in £300 for his not abetting nor concealing any design against government and appearing within six days upon summons (State Papers Domestic p 81 , SP 29 105 no 27).
21 Nov 1664: Licence from Secretary Bennet to Walter Brocket of Kingston upon Hull to stay in town, having delivered bond, etc (State Papers Domestic p 82, SP 29 105 no 38).

Walter's parents are not known. Hull was York's seaport, so he may have descended from a cadet City branch—perhaps a younger son of John the younger, Mathew or Benedick.

xv. Jane and William 1711

The following quaint letters dated 14 Apr 1711 from Jane and William Brocket to Lady Couper are preserved in Hertfordshire Record Office. Jane, whose husband had died c 1701, had been her old nurse and was now living up at Moulton, 4 miles E of Richmond, with son William and a daughter (HALS D/EPF203 18/33). Did Jane's husband, like Walter, descend from a cadet City branch?

1. Honerable Lady, these with my most humble Sarvis to you. and
2. To his Honer your Lord and husband. wishing both your
3. happines \ not knowing if god have given you ares
4. or no. hoping these Lines. will find you in good health:
5. as I am at this pricsent. your old nurss and humble sarvant.
6. Jane Broket. wishing many a time. yet scars posable to behoud
7. you with my eyes. which for many time have bean imbraised
8. in my armes. in your infanti. When caling to Remembranc
9. with weaping teares. to my great Los of that worthy gentel man
10. your Honered father. and that vartuous Lady your Loving mother.
11. and my dear mistris. which for your sake. I so carfully Sarveded
12. pray, give my humble sarvis to that Lady your Loving sister. which
13. I suppos are at London. as I hear. pray pardon my Bouldnes if
14. more wilful then wise in acquenting you with these lines.
15. the which I have bean these 2 ar 3 years for writing to you.
16. but I coud not hear In what plais you remaind in London.
17. until this priscent. by my son who was weaned when I came to
18. Chopwells. to nurs you he sarving a contry gentel man. and having
19. a mind to come up to London. to take his chanse as many conttry yong men
20. doth. though contrary to my mind. having but him who subscrib
21. and one douter I being a widdow. about these 10 years but finding his
22. Risalution so. I must content my self if for his advancement I
23. should not be against. and so in concluding with weiping tears. I sease your Loving
24. nurs and humble saarvant to comand whil I am Jane Brocket/
25. If it please your Ladyship to acquent his honer Lord Couper I who
26. hear subscrib if he plaase and have any accaition for a sarvant I
27. I shal Refar my self to you in what plais soever you pleas
28. to ranck me in for contry men are not capable of many things which
29. belong to the sittysans gentery but doing my indevour Like a faithful
30. sarvant I may in time. Lik a mindful boy at scoul get my
31. Lesen parfict as for grom or cabber I have bean used to both
32. in the contry I should have come about half a year ago
33. but my mother being unwilling caused me to mis that oppertunity but Resolving now to take my
34. fortun if by gods assistance I may obtain a plais and if not must rest myself containt and be contint with
35. Such a plais as fal in my Lot or if it plais you to do me that favour to help me to a plais
36. I shal think my sellf so much oblidg to you as never lik to Requit you but with all rivernance of a
37. faitful sarvant you or any in whose priscetes I may be admited this is all at prisent pray pardon
38. my bouldness myself your faithful & humble sarvant Willm Brocket
39. If you pleas to command one of your sarvants to writ me an ansur as shortly as you Caan
40. and to deirect in my naime to moulton Near Richmond in Yorkshier

xvi. John of Richmond 1736

John Brockett released Poundale Close to Thomas Wycliffe of Gayles—4 miles NW of Richmond (Durham County Record Office: Estate and Family Records of the Cradock family of Gainford and Hartforth, Ref No D/Cr 96; http://www.durham.gov.uk/recordoffice accessed 12 Mar 2002). Was John son of Philip?

2. 19-20th Centuries

Back to the top

The 19th C saw a clan in Whitby, but it had died out by 1926. They may have been in Whitby in the 18th C, but none were recorded there 1600-76 (Parish Register of Whitby 1600-76, Part 1, YPRS 1928). Perhaps they descended from Newcastle Brocketts.

Between 1837-1954 St Catherines' Index recorded only the following Brocketts for the huge county of Yorkshire:

30 births
21 marriages
39 deaths,

and of these more than two thirds were in Whitby:

24 births (1837-1911)
13 marriages (1840-1913)
29 deaths (1847-1926).

The 1881 Census recorded 7 Brockett households in Yorkshire with 23 individuals. At least 4 of the households and 17 of the individuals were from Whitby or nearby.

In 1829 Messrs W and L Brockett were creditors in York to a bankrupt Dealer in Wines in Spirits (York City Archives database), but they could have been from another part of the country.