Please email Mike Brogden to add to this list.

Artists and Performers:

Gwendoline Brogden (born in Hull 1891; died 1973) (click here for photo provded by Peter Dutton) was a musical comedy and light-opera soprano and a talented pupil at Madame Sharrer's Hull School of Music. At one of the Sharrer pupils' concerts, on 9.11.1911, Gwen received a basket of flowers on the handle of which dangled a gold watch. The HDM [Hull Daily Mail] (20.11.1911) described her as "simple and winsome in her song 'Yesterday and Tomorrow'". She was sponsored by the Wilsons of Tranby Croft and later worked mainly at the Gaiety Theatre in London and recorded for HMV. Her father was Thomas Brogden (c.1854 to c.1931) headmaster for forty-two years of St. Charles' Catholic Boys' School in Pryme Street, and choirmaster of St. Charles' Church when Fawcett was the organist - certainly in 1891 and 1898, according to The Hull Critic, and in 1911, acording to the HDM.

Further information:
b. 28.09.1891, mother Gertrude (nee Walsh). Gwen sometimes acted and sang with Annie Croft, another Wilson protegee. Mary Wilson paid for G.'s London debut. Married Basil Samuel Foster and had one daughter, Mary Gwendoline and her (Gwen Brogden's) second marriage was in 1937 to Sir Dudley Forwood, equerry to the Duke of Windsor at abdication time. Later married Percy Waterman Pitt (was he Percy Pitt the conductor who worked with Beecham?) and died at Sunningdale Nursing Home 6.4.1973. Mary married four times.

The National Portrait Gallery holds a photograph of Gwendoline taken in 1920 by the photographer Bassano. (See www.npg.org.uk)

Three recordings of Gwendoline performing were issued by HMV (eg HMV B519).

Gwendoline was aunt to TJN Brogden who became Lord Mayor of Portsmouth. (See Brogdens: Some Characters in this website.)

Information kindly provided by Norman Staveley from his book: "Two Centuries of Music in Hull" published by Hutton Press; 1999 ISBN 1 902709 05 5
Photograph kindly provided by Peter Dutton. Further information from Gwendoline's great grandson, Paddy Forwood. Many thanks to all three correspondents. Updated 13/10/2007

Arthur Ernest Brogden was born in Merthyr Tydfill 11 August 1883, probably in theatrical digs whilst his mother (Ada, formerly Lebutt, a singer) and father Joseph (but known as Arthur) were on tour with the Swiss Choir. Arthur Ernest became a violinist and married Rachel Morgan in Durham in 1904. They both joined Mr H Flockson-Foster's comedy costume company (Click here for photo) (Arthur Ernest is at middle back and Rachel is front left.) They toured northern seaside towns during the summer. They had two children, Arthur Owen born 1905 (who became a bank clerk) and Ernest (no information) but separated and Rachel went to live with her parents.

(Photograph and information kindly provided by Peter Dutton.)

Updated 13/01/2006

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Clocks, watches and jewellery:

From: Old Clocks and Watches and their Makers by FJ Britten; 1932:

• Robert Brogden, watch and clockmaker of York; 1713
• Joseph Brogden, watch and clockmaker of York; 1774
• James Brogden, watch and clockmaker of Aldersgate Street, London; 1765-1794
  The British Embassy in Recoleta, Argentina, has an eighteenth century grandfather clock in mahogany made by James Brogden. Presumably, this is the same James Brogden of Aldersgate Street. He also appears in Kent's Directory of 1794 as a watchmaker.
• Brogden and Marriott, watch and clockmakers of 148 Aldersgate Street, London; 1770-1804
• James Brogden, watch and clockmaker of 6 Bridgewater Square, London; 1820-1828
• Brogden and Garland, watch and clockmakers, London; about 1830. John Brogden was appenticed here and became a partner in 1831. In 1842 - 1864 he was a partner in the firm of Watherston and Brogden, goldsmiths of 16 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London and exhibited jewellery at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London. Watherston's had been established in 1798. In 1864, he took over the premises and operated under his own name until 1880. From 1881 - 1885 he worked as an 'art goldsmith' at Grand Hotel Buildings, Charing Cross. (Sources: Item from the Daily News, 1856; National Newspaper Archives; contributed by Barbara Evans & Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery website where tw pendants by John Brogden are illustrated). (Updated 3/2007)
  (Click here for article about the firm.)
  A pendant (complete with its original box) made by John Brogden appeared on the BBC programme, The Antiques Road Show, on 8 October 2006 and was valued at £2000.
• Alexander Brogden of Rochford, USA (born 1954) is listed as a silversmith. (see Google)
  

Brogden Beer Clock

This item appeared for sale on ebay in 2006. Details not known. To view click here.

Engineering:

Tom Brogden of Warrington was referred to in a UK TV programme in 2004: he built a replica of Hancock's 1832 steam road carriage, "Enterprise." He has also built a replica of the first powered road vehicle - Trevithick's London Steam Carriage.

Ginger Beer:

J and JT Brogden took over the running of the ginger beer business of W Starkey in Sydney, Australia in 1891 which had flourished since 1838 and continued to do so for several more decades. A Joseph Brogden had married into the Starkey family in 1837. Not sure if this is J or JT or an earlier Brogden. Starkey's not only produced ginger beer but lemonade, soda water, ginger wine, gingerade, bitters, cordials and syrups. They were said to be the largest ginger-beer business in the southern hemisphere ... (Info from Pam and Neil Brogden)

Iron:

John Brogden and Sons (see articles elsewhere on this website) produced cast iron, including rails for railways, at their enterprises in South Wales in the later 1800s. At the height of their success, this was exported world-wide from their own docks at Porthcawl.

The trade marks used on the Brogdens' iron.

Advert for Brogden iron and coal.

 

Kites:

The search engine Google produces a lot of references to Brogden kites. Perhaps this is a type of kite rather than a manufacturer. It seems to be rather elaborate and interesting ...

Coal:

John Brogden and Sons (see Iron above and articles elsewhere on this website) produced coal from their mines in South Wales in the later 1800s. This was exported world-wide from their own docks at Porthcawl until cheaper imports led to the collapse of their enterprises.

Bread:

George and John Brogden were bakers in Ballarat, Australia from 1921 to about 1970, delivering with a horse-drawn cart. (Click here for photo) (Info from Pam and Neil Brogden)

Beer:

A brewer in New Jersey, USA, produces "Brogden Meadow Pale Ale." (See Google)

Trade with Russia:

James Brogden started this trading company which on his retirement was run by his nephew John from Leadenhall Street, London from 1757 - 1793. John's son, also called James, appears to have left the running of the company to his partner whilst he pursued other interests as an MP (see article on this website), farmer in Wales and investor in New Zealand, Australia and India. James died in 1842. More research is needed into the activities of this company. A fascinating article has been discovered which quotes extensively from letters to his father and sister, written by James during a visit to Russia in 1787/8. This visit was intended to enable James to learn about Russia and trade with that country, in preparation for him joining the company. (See James Brogden in Russia)

Newsagents:

Several Brogdens have run newsagents. One is known in Porthcawl; the details need investigating.

Thomas Brogden (born 1840) had a newsagent's shop near Ewood Park football ground in Blackburn. (Photo)

 

Updated: 08/10/2006