The Cambridgeshire Mordens Broket clan
1851-1950

Put yourself in the Mordens in about 1851. This was a peak time for Brokets there. You would find 6 Broket households in Guilden Morden—out of a village total of 87—and at least 31 individuals—out of a village population of 468. The head of one of these households was of the older generation—William aged 59—the heads of the other 5 were aged between 28 and 37.

Both heads of households of the older generation: John, aged 64, Widower of Martha JERMIN, and his brother William, aged 59, husband of Mary BUTCHER, were in the village. John was in High St at the home of his eldest surviving daughter, Martha GENTLE, and his 3 eldest sons—John, William and Thomas—were heads of households at Little Green, Great Green, and High Street, with his youngest unmarried daughter in service at Great Green. William and Mary were at Church End, next door to 2nd son Alfred, with 3rd son John in High Street, and eldest daughter at Little Green. There were more Broket households here than ever before.

The Mordens clan spread far and wide in the 20th C, mostly to London in the early part and then further afield after the two world wars. Very few stayed in Cambridgeshire, such that by 2006 there was only one left in the Mordens.

Contents of this page:

1. Alfred and Sarah THEOBALD
2. Wilfred and Rebecca REAVELL
3. David and Selina CLARK
4. William and Charlotte REYNOLDS
5. Samuel and Harriet LAVENDER

1. Alfred 1851-1922, married Sarah THEOBALD

3rd surviving son of William and Sarah BONFIELD, born 2 Mar 1851 in Guilden Morden, bap 1 May 1851, Guilden Morden. He married Sarah THEOBALD 6 Feb 1879 in Guilden Morden Parish Church, he aged 27, Bachelor, Labourer, she 25, Spinster, both residing Guilden Morden.¹ Alfred died 22 Jan 1922, aged 70,² bur Luton Church cemetery. Sarah died 1939 Luton, aged 86.³ This line died out in the male line in 2015.

Census records for Alfred and Sarah:    Read more

1. Mary Elizabeth b 27 Jul 1879, Guilden Morden, bap 18 Apr 1880, Guilden Morden Chapel. Moved from Hemel Hempstead to Eastleigh, Winchester, Hants. Died unm 23 Jul 1955 Eastleigh, aged 75,⁵ estate valued at £136 19s 6d.⁶
2. Agnes Violet, b 6 Oct 1881, Guilden Morden, bap 11 Jun 1882, Guilden Morden Chapel. In 1901, aged 18, the Domestic Servant in 90 Dunstable Rd, Luton, home of Straw Hat Manufacturer William WARREN, 28, and wife Rhoda, 30, and their children Ronald, 6, Alethea, 4, and Phyllis, 1.⁷ Married Bertie CUTLER 1908 in Luton⁸ and probably lived there the rest of her life. The 1911 census records the couple at 116 Baker St, Luton, Bertie, aged 25, Head, Grocer’s Assistant, born Hemel Hempstead; Agnes Violet, 29, Wife, born Guilden Morden; 2 years married, one child born; son Willam Bernard, 1, born Luton. 4 rooms in the dwelling.
3. Lilian Maude, b 9 Jul 1886, Guilden Morden, bap 15 Aug 1886, Guilden Morden Chapel; d unm 1913, Luton District.⁹
4. Arthur John Theobald, b 25 Oct 1891 Church St, Guilden Morden,¹⁰ bap 12 Jun 1892, Guilden Morden Chapel. Married 7 Jul 1913 Beatrice WILDMAN in St Matthews Parish Church, Luton, he aged 21, Bachelor, Shop Assistant, she 24, Spinster, both of 217 High Town Rd, Luton. They lived there for the rest of their lives. Arthur was Manager of the Herts and Beds Bacon Factory, Hitchin, and would motor across there in his car.
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   War record:+Read more

   Arthur John Theobald Brockett (257162) 15 Colin Rd, Luton, Beds. 25 yrs on 1 Dec 1916. Height 5ft 9in. Weight 132 lbs. Shop assistant marr Beatrice nee Wildman spinster St Matthews Church, Luton 7 Jul 1913. one child.¹¹

   
   He died at 69 Wardown Crescent, Luton, 29 Aug 1975, aged 84, Will pr London 26 Nov, estate valued at £11,548.¹² Beatrice died at the same address 27 Dec 1976, aged 88, will pr Oxford 25 Feb 1977, valued at £13,144.¹³ Child:
   1. Ronald Eric, born 23 Sep 1920 Luton.¹⁴ Ron was in the Air Force during the war flying over the Mediterranean and N Africa.¹⁵ Towards the end he married Janet Gibson SLOAN 1944 in Kirkoswald, Ayr, Scotland,¹⁶ where Ron was stationed. After the war they were landlords of a pub in Luton. Then in the early 1980s they moved to Welwyn Garden City (a few miles from Wheathampstead) to take on the Mayflower pub which they ran for about 10 years before retiring to a flat in Harwood Hill in Welwyn. Netta died there in 1992, aged 68 [ie b c 1924].¹⁷ Ron lived on there and died in hospital of a heart attack 12 Dec 2015, aged 95. No children.

2. Wilfred 1852-1918, married Rebecca REAVELL

Only son of Thomas and Mary IZZARD, Wilfred was born 8 Mar 1852 in Guilden Morden, bap 25 Jul 1852, Guilden Morden Chapel. He married Rebecca REAVELL 13 Mar 1877, United Presbyterian Church, Farnham Surrey, he aged 24, Bachelor, Butcher, residing Guilden Morden, father’s name mistakenly given as James, she 28, Spinster, residing Aldershot, one witness sister Agnes.¹⁸ Witness to sister Agnes’ marriage 1891. Wilfred was a leading light in the Congregational Chapel, laying a plaque on the outside wall in 1900. He died 17 Oct 1918 in Guilden Morden.¹⁹ Rebecca died 1923 Royston District, aged 74²⁰ and was also buried in Guilden Morden cemetery. This is the couple later in late middle age:²¹
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Census records for Wilfred and Rebecca and family:    Read more

1. Frank, b 29 Jan 1878, Guilden Morden; bap 21 Apr 1878, Guilden Morden Chapel. He married 12 Sep 1901 Miriam ‘Mim’ DUKE at the Emanuel Congregational Church, Trumpington St, Cambridge, he aged 23, Bachelor, Butcher and Dealer, of High St, Guilden Morden, she 23, Spinster, of Manor Farm, Trumpington.²² Frank sat at the back centre of the Chapel, Guilden Morden. Wife Miriam was baptised in the Chapel 5 Jan 1902 ‘from Emanuel Church, Cambridge’. Occupation Farmer at Hillside Farm, Steeple Morden. Miriam died 17 Sep 1947 at Hill Side, Guilden Morden, aged 69, ie b c 1878, estate valued at ?£2190 11s 4d to Frank Brockett, Farmer and Gerald Frank Brockett, Engineer.²³ Frank died 12 Mar 1956 at 36 Field Lane, Letchworth Herts, aged 78, will pr London to Gerald Frank Brockett, Co Dir, and Thomas Fred Westrope, Civil Servant, £13260,²⁴ to be distinguished from his 2nd cousin Frank Brockett who died in neighbouring Hitchin in 1954, see the separate page.+Census records for Frank and Miriam and family:    Read more
   
   

   1911

   At Killarney, Guilden Morden, Frank, 33, Head, Cattle Dealer Butcher, b Steeple Morden; Miriam, 33, Wife, b Great Chishill, Essex; Gerald Frank, 6, b Guilden Morden; Joyce Miriam, 3, b Guilden Morden; 2 single female servants. Married 9 years, 2 children born alive, 2 still living. 8 rooms in the dwelling. Entry written and signed by Frank.

   
   Children:
   1. Gerald Frank, born 25 Sep 1904 in Guilden Morden, bap 1904, Guilden Morden Chapel. Businessman. He married Marjorie Alison KING 6 Jun 1932 St Neots.²⁵ Issue 2 daus, 1 son.
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      From 1938 Gerald and Marjorie lived and worked in Perth, he was Director for Scotland of Olding and Co, the Caterpillar agents, based in Hatfield. Here is his signature:²⁶
      They retired to Methven shortly before his death (from a heart attack). Announcement in The Times+Read more

      “Gerald Frank died 5 May, 1968. Chairman of Jack Olding and Co, Scotland, Ltd, husband of Marjorie Alison, resided ‘Mordens’, Methven, Perthshire. Funeral on May 8 at All Saints Episcopal Church, Glencarse and afterwards at Perth crematorium.”

      
      Marjorie married again Aug 1970 to Adam HALL in Perth, Scotland.²⁷ She died there 5 Jan 1995 and was buried in Oldmeldrum, c 15m NW of Aberdeen.
   2. Joyce Miriam, b 1907, Royston District;²⁸ bap 1907, Guilden Morden Chapel; m 1930 Thomas Fred WESTROPE. She died 1998. This is the couple c 1960:²⁹
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2. Hilda Mary, b 1882, Steeple Morden, baptised 27 Oct 1897, Guilden Morden Chapel, aged 15; d 20 Apr 1964, St George’s Nursing Home, Royston. Married 1909 William Charles Lilley PARRISH, Royston. Issue 3 sons, 1 dau.
3. Agnes Eva, b 6 Sep 1886, Guilden Morden; bap 29 Dec 1898, Guilden Morden Chapel. A visitor in 1911 at the house of James and Jane Elizabeth MALLEY (she aged 44, born in Guilden Morden) 16 Wendover Rd, Masons Hill, Bromley, Kent, aged 24, Single.³⁰ She married Frank Oswald PARRISH 2 Oct 1918 in Royston Registry Office. She married 1940 Thomas BATH in Luton Registry Office. She died 2 Apr 1979, Luton. Issue 1 son. This is Agnes later in life:³¹
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3. David 1854-1912, married Selina CLARK

4th and youngest surviving son of William and Sarah BONFIELD, born 14 Dec 1854 in Guilden Morden,³² bap 14 Jan 1855, Guilden Morden and died 22 Nov 1912 in Twickenham, London.³³ He married Selina CLARK 15 Jun 1878 in Kilburn St Mary, London.³⁴ Selina was also born in Guilden Morden, 5 Jul 1856. They stayed in London. Carpenter. 2 sons, 2 daus.

4. William c 1858-1937, married Charlotte REYNOLDS

Second son of Archer and Sarah HARPER, William was born c 1858 in Battersea.³⁵ AP7 has born in Guilden Morden, bap 1858 Abington Pigotts. He married Charlotte Matilda REYNOLDS 5 Nov 1881 in St Paul’s Church, New Southgate, Middlesex, both of full age residing New Southgate, he a Carpenter.³⁶ Returned to Steeple Morden by 1885. Charlotte died 1925 Royston Herts aged 66³⁷ William died 1937 Steeple Morden.³⁸

Census records for William and Charlotte:    Read more

1. Bertie, b 23 Oct 1882, 15 Curtis Rd, New Southgate, Edmonton;³⁹ d 1903, Royston District,⁴⁰ bur 1903, Steeple Morden.
2. Agnes May, b 1885 Steeple Morden,⁴¹ bap 1885 Steeple Morden. In Kneesworth St, Royston in 1901, aged 16, Dressmaker, b Steeple Morden, in the home of [maternal] aunt Sarah P HUMPHREY, 57.⁴² Recorded as May in 1911, aged 24, Single, b Steeple Morden, Child’s Maid Domestic in the house of James Fairburn FINLAY, Alverstoke, Clandon Rd, Guildford.⁴³ . Agnes May of The Green, Steeple Morden, died unm 31 Jan 1940, bur Steeple Morden, estate valued at £1016-1-5 to Isabella Dorothy Millicent Sharpe.⁴⁴
3. Albert, b 21 Jan 1886, Steeple Morden.⁴⁵ He married Maud Elizabeth BROWN 1916 Hammersmith, London.⁴⁶
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   She died 15 Oct 1934 at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge District, aged 43 [ie b c 1891] of general peritonitis and malignant ovarian cyst, no post mortem carried out, residing High Farm, Steeple Morden, informant Widower Albert, a Smallholder.⁴⁷ He married 2nd May Olive Madeline BLAKE 1938 Steeple Morden.⁴⁸ She died 1975 Hitchin Herts, aged 74, ie b c 1901.⁴⁹ Albert farmed High Farm, 2 miles outside Steeple Morden, rented from the Council. He reared cattle there and had the local milk round. His children grew up there. He also worked in the Grocery trade between Royston and London. Albert died 1975 in Steeple Morden, aged 89.⁵⁰ For an excellent account of his World War I service, see Andrew Pye’s Steeple Morden History. Children:
   1. John Antony, b 1921 Steeple Morden. His mother died when he was 13. Carpenter and Building manager by trade. Married 1946 Avis Constance STOWE in Steeple Morden.⁵¹
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      John served in the Air Force in India during the war, otherwise he lived all his life in Steeple Morden. He was Chairman of the Parish Council the year Steeple Morden won the best kept village in Cambridgeshire award. He was an expert on the local flora and fauna, had a rich baritone singing voice, and was interested in Brockett family history. Avis died 22 Sep 2006 in Steeple Morden. For the last year of his life John left Steeple Morden and lived in a home—the Old Rectory, Graveley, Herts, by happy coincidence the home of Rev Edmund Brokett in the 17th C. John died there 20 Nov 2014. He was the last of an unbroken 328 year record of the Brockett name in the Mordens, 1685-2014. I son.
   2. Peter George, b 1925 Steeple Morden; d 1927, Steeple Morden.
   3. Graham Alan, b 1929 Steeple Morden; d 14 May 2019, Ashwell.⁵² Married Freda BRYANT, Ashwell 1999.⁵³ Freda died Feb 2007, Ashwell.
4. Percy Edward, b 1891, Royston District,⁵⁴ bap 1891, Steeple Morden. Lived with his father. Died unm of TB 1938, Papworth.
5. Isabella Dorothy Millicent ‘Millie‘, b 1896 in Steeple Morden.⁵⁵ Lived at ‘The Green’, Steeple Morden. She kept house for her father till he died in 1937, when she married Alfred SHARPE in Steeple Morden.⁵⁶ Alfred was born 1875 Prickwillow. Child:
   1. Bruce son of Isabella Dorothy Millicent, bap 1922, Steeple Morden. Bruce was 15 when his mother married. His father was said to have been a HARRIDANS from Therfield or Kelsall. Occupation: Builder and Carpenter, residing the Green, Steeple Morden,⁵⁷ later a Gravedigger, residing Litlington, Royston and Melbourn. m 1952. 4 sons. He died 1991 in Melbourn, Cambs.

5. Samuel 1858-1927, married Harriet LAVENDER; Lucy CONSTABLE

2nd son of Samuel and Mary Ann GAYLOR, Samuel Henry was born 7 Aug 1858 Royston, Herts,⁵⁸ but lived most of his life in Islington. He died 1927, Lambeth.⁵⁹ 1st marriage in Hailsham Sussex 1884 to Harriet LAVENDER.⁶⁰ 1 son b and d 1888. Harriet died 1916 St Martin London, aged 62, ie b c 1854.⁶¹ Samuel married 2nd 29 Sep 1917 Lucy Florence CONSTABLE at the Brixton Independent Church, Brixton Rd, Lambeth. Samuel H died 1927 Lambeth London, aged 69.⁶² Lucy F died 1947 Surrey Mid E, aged 79.⁶³

Page Last Updated: March 11, 2021