Berney Brograve facts for kids

Sir Berney Brograve (born October 10, 1726, died February 23, 1797) was an important person in England. He was the first Baronet in his family. A Baronet is like a special title given by the King or Queen, making someone a knight but with the title passed down through their family. Sir Berney was the oldest son of Thomas Brograve and Juliana Berney. His family had a long history, including an ancestor who was a top lawyer for the King's land.

The Brograve Family in Norfolk

In 1733, Sir Berney's father, Thomas Brograve, bought large estates called manors in Waxham and Horsey in Norfolk. This is how the Brograve family became well-known in Waxham. They first lived at Waxham Hall, a big house built in the 1500s.

Sir Berney's Famous Mill

Sir Berney Brograve built a special windmill called Brograve Mill. This mill was very important because it helped drain water from the land at Brograve Level. Draining the land made it useful for farming. There are old stories that say Sir Berney even hid from the devil at this mill! Another legend says he had a mowing contest with the devil in Worstead for his soul.

Sir Berney's Family Life

In 1761, Sir Berney Brograve married Jane Hawker. She was the oldest daughter of Edward Hawker from Great Baddow, Essex. They had four children together, but only two of them lived to be adults. One of their daughters, Ann, married Dr. John Rye. He was the person who started a famous charity called The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society.

Second Marriage and Children

After his first wife Jane passed away, Sir Berney married again in 1769. His second wife was Jane Halcott, who inherited a lot of land from her family in Litcham. Sir Berney and Jane Halcott had eleven children, but sadly, most of them died when they were very young. Their son, George, became the 2nd Baronet when Sir Berney died in 1797. Later, one of Sir Berney's granddaughters married Sir William Beauchamp-Proctor, 3rd Baronet. Because of this marriage, the name Brograve was used as a first name in that family for many years.

Worstead House: Sir Berney's Grand Home

Sir Berney Brograve had a magnificent house built for him called Worstead House. It was designed by a famous architect named James Wyatt. This beautiful house was made of red brick and stood in a huge park of 400 acres. The park even had a large lake that was over 8 acres big! Sadly, Worstead House was torn down in 1937.

Life at Waxham Hall

Even after building his grand mansion at Worstead, Sir Berney would sometimes live at the old manor house in Waxham. People described how he lived there in 1854. He farmed his own land and had about a hundred workers who lived in his house. All these workers would eat dinner together in the great hall. Sir Berney would even provide a whole bullock for them to eat!

Sir Berney was given the special title of Baronet on July 28, 1791. He passed away in 1797. His second wife, Lady Jane, died in 1793 at Waxham. The very next day, their 18-year-old son, Thomas, also passed away.

Local Legends About Sir Berney

According to old local stories, Sir Berney Brograve is still around! People say that on wild and stormy nights, you can see him galloping on his horse between Worstead and Waxham, just like his ancestors.