Arthur Montagu Brookfield (1853 - 1940)

Born 18 Mar 1853 in Westminster, Middlesex, England

Ancestors

Died 3 Mar 1940 at age 86 in Henley, Oxfordshire, England

Biography

Arthur was born on 18 March 1853 and baptised on 14 April 1853 at St James, Middlesex, England. ^[1]
He was the son of the Rev. William Henry Brookfield, curate of St. Luke, Berk St., Westminster, and of the literary hostess and writer Jane Octavia Elton.
Arthur had an older sister, Magdalene Alice, and a younger brother, Charles Brookfield, an actor, author, playwright and journalist.

At 17 he enrolled at Jesus College, Cambridge.^[2]

Military career

In 1873 Arthur entered the army and was a Lieutenant with the 13th Hussars until his retirement in 1880.^[2]
Later, while serving as a Member of Parliament, he was a Colonel commanding a batallion of Imperial Yeomanry in the South African War.^[2]

Offices held

From 1885 to 1903 he was M.P. for Rye, Sussex, England, during which time he initiated and promoted the Uniforms Act 1894.^[2]

In 1903 he was appointed Consul at Montevideo, Paraguary.
From 1904 to 1910 he was Consul at Danzig (Gdańsk), West Prussia.
In 1910 he became British Consul at Savannah, Georgia, a position he held until his retirement in 1923.

Literary work

Arthur Montague Brookfield was also a writer. He left five novels and two non-fiction books:

The Bachelor (1879)

Post Mortem: A Story (1881)

The Autobiography of Thomas Allen V3 (1882)

The Apparition (1884)

Simiocracy (1884)

The Speaker's ABC (1892)

Annals of a chequered life (1930)

Honours

In August of 1901, Arthur was appointed a Knight of Grace of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem(KGStJ).

Marriage and Family

In 1877 Arthur married Olive Harriet Hamilton.^[3] The marriage was registered in the last quarter of 1877 in St George Hanover Square, Middlesex, England.^[4]

Arthur and Olive had six children:

Letitia Mary Virginia^[5]

Edward William Hamilton ^[6]

Elizabeth Violet ^{[7] [8]}

Eugene Murray ^[9][10]

Olive Agnes Margaret ^{[11] [12]}

Cornelia Costance ^[13]

Census records

In 1881 Arthur (28), a retired Lieutenant formerly with the 13 Ussars, was living with wife Olivia and their daughter Letitia M V (2) and son Edward W H (9 months) at The Priory, Lamberhurst, Ticehurst, Kent, England. The household included seven servants.^[14]

In 1891 Arthur and Olivia were at Leasam House, Rye Foreign, Rye, Sussex, England, with daughter Violet E (7) and eight servants.^[15]

In 1901 Arthur and Olivia were still at Leasam House and on census night five of their children were listed: Letitia M V (22), Violet E (17), Eugene M (15), Olive A M (11), Cornelia C (7). There were also eight servants and two visitors.^[16]

Arthur does not appear in the 1911 and 1921 censuses as from 1903 to 1923 he held several positions abroad (see Offices Held above).

He was back in England during the 1939 Register. This time he was listed as a widower and a Retired Army Colonel, living at Post Office Wood Lane, Com Re, Sonning Common, Henley R.D., Oxfordshire, England.^[17]

He died on 3 March 1940, aged 86.^[2] His death was registered in the first quarter of 1940 in Henley, Oxfordshire, England. ^[18]

Research Notes

• Unable to locate GRO birth registration.
• Will create profiles for the six children by end of April 2023.

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: "Westminster Baptisms", Archive: City of Westminster Archives Centre; Page: 47, FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 April 2023), Arthur Montagu Brookfield baptism on 14 Apr 1853 (born 18 Mar 1853), son of William Henry & Jane Octavia, in St James, Middlesex, England.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Cambridge Alumni Database
3. ↑ Marriage: "Westminster Marriages", Archive: City of Westminster Archives Centre, FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 April 2023), Arthur Montagu Brookfield (full) marriage to Olive Harriet Hamilton (full) in 1877 in St George, Hanover Square, Middlesex, England.
4. ↑ Marriage Registration: "England & Wales Marriage Index", FreeBMD Entry Information (accessed 1 April 2023), Brookfield, Arthur Montaqu. GRO Reference: 1877 Oct-Nov-Dec in St. Geo. H. Sq. Volume 1a Page 611.
5. ↑ Baptism: "Kent Baptisms", FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 April 2023), Letitia Mary Virginia Brookfield baptism on 22 May 1879 (born 2 Feb 1879), daughter of Arthur Montagu BROOKFIELD & Olive Harriet, in Canterbury, Garrison Chapel, Kent, England.
6. ↑ Baptism: "Kent Baptisms", Archive: Kent History & Library Centre; Reference: P216/1/B/3; Page: 37, FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 April 2023), Edward William Hamilton Brookfield baptism on 22 Aug 1880, son of Arthur Montagu & Olive Harriet, in Lamberhurst, St Mary, Kent, England.
7. ↑ Baptism: "England Births & Baptisms 1538-1975", FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 April 2023), Violet Elizabeth Brookfield baptism on 12 Feb 1884, daughter of Arthur Montagu Brookfield & Olive Harriet, in Playden, Sussex, England.
8. ↑ Birth Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office", GRO Online Indexes - Birth (accessed 1 April 2023), Brookfield, Elizabeth Violet (Mother's maiden name: Hamilton). GRO Reference: 1884 Jan-Feb-Mar in Rye Volume 02B Page 2.
9. ↑ Baptism: "England Births & Baptisms 1538-1975", FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 April 2023), Eugene Murray Brookfield baptism on 3 Oct 1885 (born 1885), son of Arthur Montagu Brookfield & Olive Harriet, in Rye, Sussex, England.
10. ↑ Birth Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office", GRO Online Indexes - Birth (accessed 1 April 2023), Brookfield, Eugene Murray (Mother's maiden name: Hamilton). GRO Reference: 1885 Jul-Aug-Sep in Rye Volume 02B Page 5.
11. ↑ Baptism: "England Births & Baptisms 1538-1975", FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 April 2023), Olive Agnes Margaret Brookfield baptism on 23 May 1889 (born 1889), daughter of Arthur Montagu Brookfield & Olive Harriet, in Rye, Sussex, England.
12. ↑ Birth Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office", GRO Online Indexes - Birth (accessed 1 April 2023), Brookfield, Olive Agnes Margaret (Mother's maiden name: Hamilton). GRO Reference: 1889 Apr-May-Jun in Rye Volume 02B Page 3.
13. ↑ Birth Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office", GRO Online Indexes - Birth (accessed 1 April 2023), Brookfield, Cornelia Constance (Mother's maiden name: Hamilton). GRO Reference: 1893 Oct-Nov-Dec in Rye Volume 02B Page 4.
14. ↑ 1881 Census: "1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census", Reference: RG11; Piece number: 1048; Folio: 83; Page: 19; Schedule: 521, FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 April 2023), Arthur M Brookfield (28), married, Lieutenant retired formerly 13 hussars, head of household in The Priory, Lamberhurst in Ticehurst registration district in Kent, England. Born in England.
15. ↑ 1891 Census: "1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census", Reference: RG12; Piece number: 756; Folio: 64; Page: 31; Schedule: 204, FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 April 2023), Arthur M Brookfield (38), married, S p t m p, head of household at Leasam House in Rye registration district in Sussex, England. Born in England.
16. ↑ 1901 Census: "1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census", Reference: RG13; Piece number: 860; Folio: 9; Page: 10; Schedule: 66, FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 April 2023), Arthur M Brookfield (48), married, M p col aux force late army?, head of household at Leasam House in Rye registration district in Sussex, England. Born in England.
17. ↑ 1939 Register: "1939 Register", Reference: RG101/2209I/011/12; Piece number: 2209I; Schedule: 111, FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 April 2023), Arthur M Brookfield (born 18 Mar 1855), widowed, Retired Army Colonel, on Post Office Wood Lane, Com Re, Sonning Common, Henley R.D., Oxfordshire, England.
18. ↑ Death Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office", GRO Online Indexes - Death (accessed 1 April 2023), Brookfield, Arthur Montagu (Age at death: 86). GRO Reference: 1940 Jan-Feb-Mar in Henley Volume 03A Page 3364.

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