Derby County: Bromages were all footballers

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BACK in March, Jean Barlow, of Chaddesden, recalled living in Rowditch as a child and described how her uncle and aunt, Jack and Jinnie Bromage, ran a grocery shop in Parcel Terrace from the 1930s to 1960.

Jack was also Gilbert Bromage’s uncle, which makes him Jean’s cousin, though they have never met.

He writes: “My father, Henry Bromage, was the eldest son of John and Eliza Bromage (nee Blore). Dad was a professional footballer with Derby County, Leeds City (now United) and Doncaster Rovers. I am the youngest of his six sons and two daughters and was born in Doncaster in 1912.

“My father had five brothers – Bill, George, Jack, Enos and Joe – and two sisters, Sarah and Frances. All the boys became professional or semi-professional footballers.

“Bill played for Sheffield United and Doncaster Rovers. George played for Sheffield United, Jack for Chesterfield and Enos for Derby County and West Bromwich Albion.

“Enos broke his leg which finished his career. He then became an engineer at Rolls-Royce.

“Joe was a semi-pro. He played for Denaby United, Loughborough Corinthians and Gainsborough Trinity (Midland League).

“My brother was a pro with Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers and Scunthorpe United and I played in the Birmingham League as an amateur with St George’s FC.

“My grandparents were season ticket holders at the Baseball Ground and, as a boy, I went to several matches with them. My highlight was being taken into the dressing rooms by Uncle Bill when Uncle Enos was playing in Derby’s first team.

“My mother died in 1917 and I stayed with my grandparents for six months when they lived in Stockbrook Street. They later moved to Olive Street. As a boy and youth, I spent many holidays in Derby and knew most of my cousins very well.

“However, I think Jean was much younger and I think her father was my Uncle Joe, my father’s youngest brother.

“During his football career, he often came to Doncaster when playing for Denaby United in the Midland League.

“My grandparents came to my wedding in Doncaster in 1935 and, in 1939, I took my one-year-old daughter to see them. They died in the 1940s and, with the war years and my career in London, I seemed to lose touch with Derby.

“I have two daughters – one has been living in Canada since 1966. I have a flat attached to my younger daughter’s house in Storrington, Sussex, as my wife died in 1999.

“There are six grandchildren, four in Canada, and five great-grandchildren, all in Canada.

“Like my grandparents, father and uncles, I am a football fanatic. It must be in the genes. I have a photo of my grandparents, my father and his brother and Aunt Sarah, which I can send to Jean if she wishes.

“I am 94 years old this year, very fit, still driving a car, but living on borrowed time!”

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