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Sir William Brockman

January 01, 1970

Sir William Brockman (1595–1654) was an English landowner and military leader. He is best known for his staunch, if unsuccessful, defence of Maidstone in the Royalist cause, during the English Civil War.

Sir William Brockman by Cornelius Johnson (1642)

Early life edit

William Brockman was born in England in 1595, at Lyminge in Kent, the son of Henry Brockman and Helen (Sawkins). He was educated at Oxford University and married an heiress: Ann (Bunce), the only daughter of Dorothy and Simon Bunce, Esq., of Lynsted on 28 May 1616.[1] The couple had seven children the first born son, Henry, and a daughter died in infancy.[1] In 1632, William Brockman, Esq., was knighted by King Charles I.

The Battle of Maidstone edit

On the outbreak of the Civil War, the recently-knighted Sir William Brockman remained loyal to King Charles I and the Royalist cause. In 1642, Sir William was appointed High Sheriff of Kent by the King, but almost immediately he was arrested and imprisoned in Winchester Palace in Southwark, in London. The action seemed to have been a tactic to remove potentially influential Royalist supporters from the scene, and Brockman was replaced as Sheriff by Sir John Honeywood. William remained in custody until August 1645, although from June 1644 he transferred back to Kent, on the grounds that his health was deteriorating in the squalid London prison, to the fortified manor house known as Westenhanger Castle, only a couple of miles from his home at Beachborough.

In 1648, when the second period of conflict flared up, Sir William became directly involved in the fighting for the first and only time, under the command of Sir John Mayney. Separated from the main loyalist forces, the detachment in Maidstone had to fight unsupported against a large force of the New Model Army, under Sir Thomas Fairfax, or Lord Fairfax of Cameron as he had just become, having inherited the family peerage from the Kingdom of Scotland.

Fairfax marched on Maidstone, with his division of veteran troops, numbering approximately 6, 000 men. The garrison initially comprised approximately 1, 000 men, but some of these were apparently sailors and some were raw recruits. Lord Fairfax crossed the river at East Farleigh Bridge and prepared to storm the town. Meanwhile, the Royalist strength had been boosted by Sir William, who had managed to bring in a large force of reinforcements, numbering about 800 men, during the preliminary skirmishing. The assault began about seven o'clock that evening, in driving rain. The resistance of the townsmen was determined and the battle gradually spread out into every street. Royalists fought from hasty barricades in the streets and from the houses on either side. The conflict degenerated into house-to-house fighting. The battle continued in this way until midnight, still in rain, around which time the surviving Royalists were driven into a churchyard where they regrouped and prepared for the next phase. They were eventually persuaded to surrender on conditions that guaranteed their personal safety. Fairfax's report to Parliament confirms that Sir William and the other leaders were captured, and so began Sir William's second period of imprisonment.

In somewhat flowery prose, the 1836 edition of Burke's Commoners summed up the Battle of Maidstone as follows: "Few actions displayed more of that chivalric courage and devoted resolve which characterised the adherents of the King during the civil wars than this. Lord Clarendon terms it a sharp encounter very bravely fought with the general's whole strength".[2]

The Battle Report of Lord Fairfax edit

 
The Brockman arms. These were unchanged from the original grant, in 1606, to Sir William's father, Henry.
 
Beachborough Park, in Kent: the Brockman family's estate. The image dates from the time of Sir William's grandson, William Brockman, MP.

Letter from L. Fairfax, with an Account of the Victory over the Kentish Forces at Maidstone:[3]

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Manchester, Speaker of the House of Lords, pro Tempore, at Westm'r.

My Lord,

It having pleased God to give us a Victory against those who without and against the Authority of Parliament raised an Army, I held it my Duty to give your Lordship an Account thereof (in brief), Time not permitting me at present to give the Particulars at large. The Engagement with them began the last Night, about Seven of the Clock, near Maydstone, and continued a very fierce and hot Dispute until after Twelve, before we could be Masters of the Town: The Enemy, by reason of the continued Supplies which they received from their Forces by the Passage over Alesford, were enabled to dispute every Street and Passage. The choicest of their Forces (as we understand) were appointed for this Service; and the Lord Gowring commanded them as General. There was about Two Hundred of the Enemy slain, many wounded, about Nine Hundred Prisoners, Four Hundred Horse, and Eight Pieces of Cannon, and great Store of Arms and Ammunition taken. Sir William Brockman and others of the Gentlemen are Prisoners. As God hath been pleased in Mercy to give you this Victory, so I desire that we may return all Thankfulness unto Him for it. I shall (as God shall enable me) improve this Advantage; and remain
Maidstone, a[clarification?] June, 1648.

Your Lordship's

Humble Servant,

T. Fairefax.[spelling?]

Later life edit

Records show that William was still a prisoner in 1651, when he, his brother Zouch and many other Royalists were declared delinquents and had heavy fines levied against them: Sir William was fined £500 and Zouch £350. It is not known when William was released on this second occasion.

However, perhaps more importantly, Sir William was able to avoid the sequestration of his estate during his two periods of imprisonment and was able to pass this on intact after his death in 1654.[4]

Sir William's burial took place on 6 December 1654[4] and the estate was inherited by his heir, James.

Sir William came from a family already long-established in Kent, which possessed a number of properties in Kent at that time. Around 1500, William's great grandfather Henry Brockman bought Cheriton Manor, Newington Manor and Beachborough Manor. Henry Brockman's grandson was also called Henry, and was the father of Sir William. He is commemorated by a tablet in St Nicholas Church,[5] Newington.

As one of very few notable and documented Kentish Englishmen from his era, Sir William is of some interest to descendants of his relatives that now live in the US and Australia today. For example, it appears that in the aftermath of the civil war his second cousin, Henry Brockman, fled the country to Aruba and eventually to the American colonies, thus founding the English branch of the Brockman family in the United States. Later, descendants through the maternal Drake-Brockman line emigrated to Australia, several of whom were notable for their military and civic leadership.

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b Aughterson, Kate (2004). "Brockman [née Bunce], Ann, Lady Brockman (d. 1660), writer on medicine". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/68030. Retrieved 27 May 2020. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ Burke 1836, p. 368.
  3. ^ "House of Lords Journal Volume 10 3 June 1648".
  4. ^ a b Burke 1836, p. 369.
  5. ^ St Nicholas, Newington Next Hythe

References edit

  • Burke, John (1836). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, Enjoying Territorial Possessions Or High Official Rank: But Uninvested with Heritable Honours. Vol. 3. R. Bentley. pp. 368, 369.

Further reading edit

County histories
  • Harris, John (1719). History of Kent in Five Parts: Containing, I. An exact topography or description of the county. ... Vol. 1. London: D. Midwinter.
  • Hasted, Edward (1797). History of Kent,: Corrected, enlarged, and continued to the present time, from the manuscript collection of the late Rev. Thomas Streatfeild and ... the public records, and other sources (2 ed.). Printed by W. Bristow. p. 206.
  • Morant, Philip (1978). The history and antiquities of the county of Essex: Compiled from the best and most ancient historians (illustrated, reprint ed.). EP Pub. ISBN 0-7158-1301-3. (An earlier edition Reprinted and sold by Meggy and Chalk, 1816)
Family histories
  • Brockman, William Everett (1952). The Brockman scrapbook: Bell, Bledsoe, Brockman, Burrus, Dickson, James, Pedan, Putman, Sims, Tatum, Woolfolk, and related families (Unknown Binding). ASIN B0007E8Y48. (Out of Print), this information provided courtesy of Paul Brockman (Virginia)
  • Brockman, William Everett (1 January 1959). Orange County Virginia families (Unknown Binding). Vol. III. W.E. Brockman. ASIN B0007G5G0Q.
  • Drake-Brockman, David Henry (1936). Record of the Brockman and Drake-Brockman family. Privately Published. ASIN B00089U71U. (Out of Print), provided courtesy of Hugh-Drake Brockman (UK),
  • Jackson, Alan (1994). Brockman & Drake-Brockman Family Tree: the Australian Branch 1830–1993. Menora, WA. ISBN 0-646-18200-5.
Primary sources
  • The Brockman Papers, Records in the British Museum, Location and Catalogue: 42586-42710, 45193-45220

External links edit

    For further information on the Brockman & Drake-Brockman family see http://www.brockman.net.au

    Preceded by
    (See English Brockman Family)
    		 Sir William Brockman of Kent
    1595–1654     		Succeeded by

    January 01, 1970
    william, brockman, 1595, 1654, english, landowner, military, leader, best, known, staunch, unsuccessful, defence, maidstone, royalist, cause, during, english, civil, cornelius, johnson, 1642, contents, early, life, battle, maidstone, battle, report, lord, fair. Sir William Brockman 1595 1654 was an English landowner and military leader He is best known for his staunch if unsuccessful defence of Maidstone in the Royalist cause during the English Civil War Sir William Brockman by Cornelius Johnson 1642 Contents 1 Early life 2 The Battle of Maidstone 2 1 The Battle Report of Lord Fairfax 3 Later life 4 Notes 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksEarly life editWilliam Brockman was born in England in 1595 at Lyminge in Kent the son of Henry Brockman and Helen Sawkins He was educated at Oxford University and married an heiress Ann Bunce the only daughter of Dorothy and Simon Bunce Esq of Lynsted on 28 May 1616 1 The couple had seven children the first born son Henry and a daughter died in infancy 1 In 1632 William Brockman Esq was knighted by King Charles I The Battle of Maidstone editOn the outbreak of the Civil War the recently knighted Sir William Brockman remained loyal to King Charles I and the Royalist cause In 1642 Sir William was appointed High Sheriff of Kent by the King but almost immediately he was arrested and imprisoned in Winchester Palace in Southwark in London The action seemed to have been a tactic to remove potentially influential Royalist supporters from the scene and Brockman was replaced as Sheriff by Sir John Honeywood William remained in custody until August 1645 although from June 1644 he transferred back to Kent on the grounds that his health was deteriorating in the squalid London prison to the fortified manor house known as Westenhanger Castle only a couple of miles from his home at Beachborough In 1648 when the second period of conflict flared up Sir William became directly involved in the fighting for the first and only time under the command of Sir John Mayney Separated from the main loyalist forces the detachment in Maidstone had to fight unsupported against a large force of the New Model Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax or Lord Fairfax of Cameron as he had just become having inherited the family peerage from the Kingdom of Scotland Fairfax marched on Maidstone with his division of veteran troops numbering approximately 6 000 men The garrison initially comprised approximately 1 000 men but some of these were apparently sailors and some were raw recruits Lord Fairfax crossed the river at East Farleigh Bridge and prepared to storm the town Meanwhile the Royalist strength had been boosted by Sir William who had managed to bring in a large force of reinforcements numbering about 800 men during the preliminary skirmishing The assault began about seven o clock that evening in driving rain The resistance of the townsmen was determined and the battle gradually spread out into every street Royalists fought from hasty barricades in the streets and from the houses on either side The conflict degenerated into house to house fighting The battle continued in this way until midnight still in rain around which time the surviving Royalists were driven into a churchyard where they regrouped and prepared for the next phase They were eventually persuaded to surrender on conditions that guaranteed their personal safety Fairfax s report to Parliament confirms that Sir William and the other leaders were captured and so began Sir William s second period of imprisonment In somewhat flowery prose the 1836 edition of Burke s Commoners summed up the Battle of Maidstone as follows Few actions displayed more of that chivalric courage and devoted resolve which characterised the adherents of the King during the civil wars than this Lord Clarendon terms it a sharp encounter very bravely fought with the general s whole strength 2 The Battle Report of Lord Fairfax edit nbsp The Brockman arms These were unchanged from the original grant in 1606 to Sir William s father Henry nbsp Beachborough Park in Kent the Brockman family s estate The image dates from the time of Sir William s grandson William Brockman MP Letter from L Fairfax with an Account of the Victory over the Kentish Forces at Maidstone 3 To the Right Honourable the Earl of Manchester Speaker of the House of Lords pro Tempore at Westm r My Lord It having pleased God to give us a Victory against those who without and against the Authority of Parliament raised an Army I held it my Duty to give your Lordship an Account thereof in brief Time not permitting me at present to give the Particulars at large The Engagement with them began the last Night about Seven of the Clock near Maydstone and continued a very fierce and hot Dispute until after Twelve before we could be Masters of the Town The Enemy by reason of the continued Supplies which they received from their Forces by the Passage over Alesford were enabled to dispute every Street and Passage The choicest of their Forces as we understand were appointed for this Service and the Lord Gowring commanded them as General There was about Two Hundred of the Enemy slain many wounded about Nine Hundred Prisoners Four Hundred Horse and Eight Pieces of Cannon and great Store of Arms and Ammunition taken Sir William Brockman and others of the Gentlemen are Prisoners As God hath been pleased in Mercy to give you this Victory so I desire that we may return all Thankfulness unto Him for it I shall as God shall enable me improve this Advantage and remain Maidstone a clarification June 1648 Your Lordship sHumble Servant T Fairefax spelling Later life editRecords show that William was still a prisoner in 1651 when he his brother Zouch and many other Royalists were declared delinquents and had heavy fines levied against them Sir William was fined 500 and Zouch 350 It is not known when William was released on this second occasion However perhaps more importantly Sir William was able to avoid the sequestration of his estate during his two periods of imprisonment and was able to pass this on intact after his death in 1654 4 Sir William s burial took place on 6 December 1654 4 and the estate was inherited by his heir James Sir William came from a family already long established in Kent which possessed a number of properties in Kent at that time Around 1500 William s great grandfather Henry Brockman bought Cheriton Manor Newington Manor and Beachborough Manor Henry Brockman s grandson was also called Henry and was the father of Sir William He is commemorated by a tablet in St Nicholas Church 5 Newington As one of very few notable and documented Kentish Englishmen from his era Sir William is of some interest to descendants of his relatives that now live in the US and Australia today For example it appears that in the aftermath of the civil war his second cousin Henry Brockman fled the country to Aruba and eventually to the American colonies thus founding the English branch of the Brockman family in the United States Later descendants through the maternal Drake Brockman line emigrated to Australia several of whom were notable for their military and civic leadership Notes editThis article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Sir William Brockman news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2011 Learn how and when to remove this message a b Aughterson Kate 2004 Brockman nee Bunce Ann Lady Brockman d 1660 writer on medicine Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 68030 Retrieved 27 May 2020 Subscription or UK public library membership required Burke 1836 p 368 House of Lords Journal Volume 10 3 June 1648 a b Burke 1836 p 369 St Nicholas Newington Next HytheReferences editBurke John 1836 A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland Enjoying Territorial Possessions Or High Official Rank But Uninvested with Heritable Honours Vol 3 R Bentley pp 368 369 Further reading editCounty histories Harris John 1719 History of Kent in Five Parts Containing I An exact topography or description of the county Vol 1 London D Midwinter Hasted Edward 1797 History of Kent Corrected enlarged and continued to the present time from the manuscript collection of the late Rev Thomas Streatfeild and the public records and other sources 2 ed Printed by W Bristow p 206 Morant Philip 1978 The history and antiquities of the county of Essex Compiled from the best and most ancient historians illustrated reprint ed EP Pub ISBN 0 7158 1301 3 An earlier edition Reprinted and sold by Meggy and Chalk 1816 Family histories Brockman William Everett 1952 The Brockman scrapbook Bell Bledsoe Brockman Burrus Dickson James Pedan Putman Sims Tatum Woolfolk and related families Unknown Binding ASIN B0007E8Y48 Out of Print this information provided courtesy of Paul Brockman Virginia Brockman William Everett 1 January 1959 Orange County Virginia families Unknown Binding Vol III W E Brockman ASIN B0007G5G0Q Drake Brockman David Henry 1936 Record of the Brockman and Drake Brockman family Privately Published ASIN B00089U71U Out of Print provided courtesy of Hugh Drake Brockman UK Jackson Alan 1994 Brockman amp Drake Brockman Family Tree the Australian Branch 1830 1993 Menora WA ISBN 0 646 18200 5 Primary sources The Brockman Papers Records in the British Museum Location and Catalogue 42586 42710 45193 45220External links editMaidstone Museum For further information on the Brockman amp Drake Brockman family see http www brockman net au Preceded by See English Brockman Family Sir William Brockman of Kent1595 1654 Succeeded byThe Squires of Beachborough Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sir William Brockman amp oldid 1217404925, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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