The Marquis of Rockingham’s first tenant farmers to be resident at Old Moor were George and Ann Brooke and their family. They were former yeoman farmers from Braithwell, near Rotherham and moved to Old Moor in 1776. Indeed some of the early Brooke family that worked and died at Old Moor are found to be buried in Braithwell churchyard. The size of the tombs at Braithwell indicates the importance of the family locally. We can glean some insights into these early years from Richard Brooke’s diaries. Over the next 165 years many generations of the Brooke family would live and work at Old Moor.
A number of the male family members would be enlisted in South West Yorkshire Yeomanry Cavalry and in a variety of roles. Sergeants, Cornets and Troopers in particular. George Brooke born 1810 whose occupation was Land Agent and Auctioneer was amongst the first to serve S.W.Y.Y.C. Two brothers from the next generation followed in the footsteps of George. They were Joseph born 1857 who was the head of the family and the last of the male family line that resided here. His brother James , born in 1854 became a Trooper in S.W.Y.Y.C. In 1877 James was awarded a “Prize Sword” from Earl Fitzwilliam for “Best Swordsman of The Troop”.
Joseph as well as several other of his ancestors would also play a prominent role in many local committees and organisations over the years. The family witnessed many changes in the development of the farm during their time here. They would remain at Old Moor Farm until shortly after the death of Joseph Brooke in 1938. Sarah and Ethel, his two daughters were left to run the farm but chose instead to leave within a year of Joseph’s death. The end of an era for the family here but part of the family was still farming at West Melton. Brooke family members are recorded as farming there from 1880 until 2018.
Another notable character is the aforementioned George Brooke born in 1810 at Old Moor. He was one of George and Ann’s eight children. Auctioneer and Land Agent, earning a living buying and selling goods from abroad. Among them port wine, cotton and oil in substantial quantities carried aboard ships from places like Hamburg and Rotterdam. George managed to get his fingers burnt a couple of times, landing in court for bending the rules.