All About My Father
The story of the Bromley and Coppard families
The Bromley Family
This is my paternal grandfather’s family in all its glory. It is brought to life by the many photographs we have from the 19th century, including some that have only been identifiable through my work on the family tree. From the family’s origins in Kent, most of them did not venture very far and remained in the Kent and Sussex area.
Chapter 1
In Staplehurst Churchyard
The origins of my family in the weald of Kent, including that intriguing gravestone.
Chapter 2
Samuel Bromley (1736 - 1803)
The Bromleys were not just peasant farmers – they once owned land and left money in their wills to their children.
Chapter 3
Stephen Bromley (1774 - 1822)
The gravestone brought to life in a mixture of tragedy and adventure.
Chapter 4
Samuel Bromley (1805 - 1838)
This is where great aunt Emily began her story, although she didn’t get all of it right.
Chapter 4a
Amelia Bromley (1815 - 1880)- Life after Samuel
A further seven children by two fathers, some of whom emigrated, but most died of TB.
Chapter 4b
The Gurr Family
Difficult to trace, but those found had interesting lives.
Chapter 5
John Thomas Bromley (1834 - 1901)
The first of the railway Bromleys, documented in some wonderful photographs.
Chapter 5a
Mark Bromley (1837 - 1910)
A side branch of the family who kept in touch with great aunt Emily, but did he actually marry his second wife?
Chapter 5b
Olive Bromley (1839 - 1920)
Part of the family who seem to have been forgotten, but now we have a face to put to the name.
Chapter 6
John Samuel Bromley (1862 - 1931)
My great grandfather and his West Country wife, and the strange story of the incident at Stoats Nest.
Chapter 6a
John Thomas (1837 - 1913)
My 3x great grandfather’s identity has been confirmed by DNA.
Chapter 6b
Joseph Henry Bromley (1865 - 1939)
The draper from Dorking who great aunt Emily barely mentions, but there are plenty of photographs.
Chapter 6c
Stephen Bromley (1866 - 1937)
Another station master but without any living descendants, which is such a shame.
Chapter 7
Stephenson Bromley (1891 - 1977)
My grandfather and his brothers and sisters, all with lives lived to the full.