Arthur Brooke

Arthur Brooke (1845–1918) founder of the British tea company Brooke, Bond & Co. Ltd born in Manchester, Great Britain. Established his business in 1869 and was making £5,000 a year at the age of 30 with shops in all the major cities of Britain and warehouse in London. Early life Arthur Brooke was born on 30 November 1845 in Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester to tea wholesaler Charles Brooke and Jane née Howard. He had a short career in the textile industry before getting terminated due to the cotton famine in 1864, he trained to work in Peek Brothers and Winch tea company in Liverpool where he was transferred to the company's head office in London. But Brooke decided to return home to help in father to revive his wholesale tea business by establishing new outlets all over Lancashire. Personal life Brooke was married to Alice Young daughter of William Young a naval officer, in 1875. They first lived in Stonebridge Park, Willesden then moved to Bedford park, then Kensington later bought a country house near Dorking. The couple had four children Gerald, Justin, Neville, and Rupert and two known grandchildren namely John and David, who were all involved in the company. Brooke also had a younger sister named Agnes Bushell (née Brooke), who went on to marry Alfred Thomas Bushell who previously worked in Brooke's Liverpool shop. Bushell emigrated to Australia and founded the Bushells Tea Company. Brooke died on 13 April 1918 in Dorking due to acute tuberculosis and pneumonia. A Blue Plaque was donated in his honour Brooke, Bond & Co in 1966 which can be seen at his birthplace in 6 George street, Ashton-under-Lyne. Arthur Brooke in Brooke, Bond & Company Ltd. In 1869 Brooke opened his first own shop and named the business Brooke Bond & Company at 29 Market Street, Manchester where he sold tea, coffee and sugar. He added the name Bond even though there was no Mr Bond because he liked the sound of it, hence the name stayed.