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Brentford Families - Brockwell

John Henry Brockwell was my Grandmothers brother, ie my Great Uncle, he was the son of John Brockwell and Clara Brockwell, who are buried in the Brentford and Old Ealing cemetery. He was born in Nottingham and came to Brentford in the early 1900's as my Great-Grandfather was a parchment maker and found work in Brentford in a "skinyard " somewhere in the area behind Brentford High street backing onto the river. (Likely to be Band’s of Plough Yard) Great Uncle Harry lived in Brentford for some years going to school there and at some stage working , however he went back up to Nottingham , as he joined the Army ( Royal Field Artillery ) in 1915 in Nottingham . He was serving in a Trench Mortar Battery on 1st July , the first day of the Battle of the Somme, and was killed by enemy fire when he left his position to help a wounded infantryman from another unit. I know this as I have the letter written to "Harry's " parent's, (my Great Grandparent's ) by his Battery Commander. He has no known grave but his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Brockwells remained in Brentford. John Brockwell died in 1946 his wife pre-deceasing him in 1944. and two children Gertrude and William dying at some time during the 1920s. My Grandmother is also in the family grave in Brentford . She married Samuel Blake in around 1922 , they lived in Brentford from their marriage until their deaths in 1967 and 1974.

I am pleased to be able to provide these details about Harry, given the doubt in the war memorial notes about his connection with Brentford. (now corrected) I well remember walking through the Butts , the Half acre and along Brentford High Street with my Grandmother in the early - mid 1960s , having some Historical facts pointed out to me , including "The Battle of Brentford" in the Civil War.

Page published February 2016