Brown

Sir Thomas Browne (19 October 1605 – 19 October 1682) was an English polymath and author of varied works which reveal his wide learning in diverse fields including science and medicine, religion and the esoteric. His father was a silk mercer from Upton. Sir Thomas is largely forgotten in Chester, where his family are much better known for their department store "Browns of Chester". However, a large bronze of him is to be found in Norwich city center.

Sir Thomas' writings display a deep curiosity towards the natural world, influenced by the scientific revolution of Baconian enquiry. Browne's literary works are permeated by references to Classical and Biblical sources as well as the idiosyncrasies of his own personality. Although often described as suffused with melancholia, his writings are also characterised by wit and subtle humour, while his literary style is varied, according to genre, resulting in a rich, unique prose which ranges from rough notebook observations to polished Baroque eloquence.

"Brown's of Chester"


Number #32-34 is a Greek Revival building from 1828 which was the first element of what was to become Browns Department Store (N.B. Wikipedia states the oldest part of the store dates from 1858). Following the Commercial News Rooms (1807-8, which also involved a Brown), this second neo-classical building was the first purpose built store in the City. William Brown was a successful druggist and was married to Susannah Towsey, an ambitious milliner, and they began to import the latest fashions from London. Susannah (who was christened at St Peters in 1758) ran a little drapery and haberdashery shop with her sister, Elizabeth, at the corner by the Cross. Her family had been connected with the hattery and hosiery business in Chester from the early 1700's. In the 1780's Susannah and Elizabeth would take the stage coach down to London twice a year to select the new season's fashions from the City wholesalers. On returning to Chester they would place an advert in the local mewspaper inviting the public to come and view it.



Susannah married John Brown, who had his druggist's shop a few yards down the street, in 1788. Children of John & Susannah included William Brown b.10th Apr 1789 and Henry Brown b. 25th Jul 1795. Pigot's Directory of Cheshire 1828-29 lists 'Brown Wm & Hy Milliners Eastgate Street Row Chester'. The plans for the new shop were laid before the Assembly in 1828 and it was built by 1831.

Browns directly employed 150 women in their own dressmaking workroom in the 1870s.

Brown(e) of Upton
A good starting point for the story of the Browns of Chester is St Mary on the Hill, the original parish church of Upton, and where the Brownes provided many of the church-wardens. Earwaker's history of the church describes an early memorial board "formery placed against the north wall" (and since lost). The text reads:


 * "This was set up in the memory of Richard Browne, of Upton, in y* County of Chester, gent, sone and heire to Thomas Browne, by Elizabeth his Wife, daughter to Henry Birkenhead, Esq., Clerk of ye Green Cloth to Queen Elizabeth, sone and heir of Rich. Browne, sone and heir of Thomas Browne, of Upton, aforesaid. The abovesaid Rich d Browne died the 4 of January 1624, having had 2 Wives, first Frances, daughter to Sr George Beverley, of Huntington, Knt, who died without Issue, secondly to Mary, daughter to Sr Tho. Aston, of Aston, Knt, by whom he had Issue Thomas Browne of Upton and Richd of London. She afterfwards married Jacques Arnodio, gent, and dyed y° 17 Feb. 1668 5 Aged 87 Years. Thomas Browne sone and heire died at Munster in Ireland 1643: he married Grissell daughter to Dobb of Ireland, by whom he had Issue Thomas, Rob e, Francis, Richard, Mary, Judith, Grissell and Dorothy. She died in Childbed ye 19 of June 1641. Thomas Browne sone and heire married Cicely daughter to William Glegge of Gayton Esq, who died in Childbed of her Daughter Cicely the 16 of March Ano Dni 1661."

The Clerk of the Green Cloth was a position in the British Royal Household. The clerk acted as secretary of the Board of Green Cloth, and was therefore responsible for organising royal journeys and assisting in the administration of the Royal Household. Henry Birkenhead senior (1548-1613) was appointed to the office of Prenotary of the Counties Chester and Flint around 1600, and Henry Birkenhead junior (1572-1646) to the office of Custos Brevium of the same counties.

One notes somethin odd about the monomental board descibed above: it was supposedly set up by Elizabeth, the wife of the Richard Browne who died in 1578. "Elizabeth" then goes on to describe events as late as 1661: four generations later.

There was a separate bramch of the Brownes south of the River Dee in Netherleigh and they mayhave been involved in the relocation of the High Cross to Netherleigh (see: Cowper) after the Civil War.

Mathew Browne (d. 1634)
According to Earwaker his funeral certificate reads:


 * "Mathew Browne of the City of Chester, gentleman, dyed at his house in Handbridge vpon the .. daye of .. 1634 and was interred in St Maryes Church in Chester aforsayd. He married Katherine, daughter to Rafe Allen of the City of Chester, Alderman and widow of Mathew Ellis of Overleigh, nere Chester, gent and by him hay yssue Thomas, his sonne and heyre of the age of 14 years or thereabout at tyme of his fathers death, George 2nd sonne; Alice the only daughter. He has yssue also by her Elizabeth and Anne and a son not baptised which all dyed younge."

Richard Brown
The unfortunate Richard Browne of London is described as a London silk merchant prior to 1646 and then afterwards described as "of Upton". His lands were sequestered in 1646 (when he was aged about 20) and he oompounded for his estate at £24/15s. Given his relatively young age he can hardly have done much in the Civil War. Richard's father, another Richard, died at about the time of Richard's birth in early 1625.

It is very likely he returned from London to Chester following the death of his elder brother, Thomas Browne of Upton, who died in Munster (Ireland) in 1643.

Brown(e) of Upton Family Tree

 * Thomas Browne of Upton = Alice Whitley of Shotton
 * *Thomas Browne = Katherine Harvey
 * *Thomas Browne (b. 1540 - d. 1578) = Eizabeth Birkenhead (d. 1602)
 * *Richard Browne (d. Jan 1625) = (1) Francis Beverley (no issue) = (2) Mary (d. 1668) (daughter to Sir Thomas Aston see:Civil War and Brereton - she later married Jaques Arnodio - "a Frenchman")
 * *Thomas Browne (d. 1643 in Munster (Ireland)) = Grissell (d. 1641)
 * *Thomas Browne (bapt. 1639 - d. 1702) = Cicely Gleggge of Gayton (bapt. 1624 - d. 1661)
 * *Cicely Browne (b. 1661 - d. 1702)
 * *Robert Browne (bapt. 1640 - d.1664)
 * *Francis (b. 1640, died young)
 * *Richard (b. 1641, died young)
 * *Mary (b. 1632) = Thomas Critchley
 * (had issue..)
 * *Judith (b. 1634} = Thomas Kelsall
 * *Grissell (b. 1635) = (1) John Leacher = (2) Owen Sanderson
 * *Dorothy (b. 1636) = Thomas Shepherd

(other children of Richard Browne and Mary)
 * *Richard Brown (bapt 1627; later moved to London) - estates sequestered in 1646 = Susan Cole (of St Albans)
 * (had issue..)

(other children of Thomas Browne and Elizabeth)
 * *Jane Brown = Richard Hartley
 * (had issue..)
 * *Henry
 * *Richard
 * *Thomas = Anne Garraway
 * *Sir Thomas Browne (1605-1682) = Dorothy Mileham (1621-1885)
 * Anne = John Palmer
 * Jane = Thomas Price (1599-1685) - translated to the archbishopric of Cashel on 20 May 1667
 * Mary = Nevill Craddock
 * *Anne
 * *Edward
 * *William
 * *Ferndinando
 * *Hugh
 * *Francis

Related Articles

 * Upton;

Sources and Links

 * Earwaker, 'History of the Church and Parish of St. Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester,' completed by Dr. R. H. Morris, 1898;
 * Gleggs of Wirral;
 * Barbour, "Sir Thomas Browne, A life";