Brooke baronets of Norton Priory (1662)

The Brooke baronetcy, of Norton Priory in the County of Chester, was created in the Baronetage of England on 12 December 1662 for Henry Brooke, a Colonel in the Parliamentary Army and Member of Parliament for Cheshire during the Commonwealth.^[1] He was succeeded by his son, Richard, 2nd Baronet. He was High Sheriff of Cheshire in 1667.

Escutcheon of the Brooke baronets of Norton Priory

His son, Thomas, the 3rd Baronet, was High Sheriff of Cheshire from 1719 to 1720. He was succeeded by his grandson, Richard, the 4th Baronet. He served as High Sheriff of Cheshire from 1752 to 1753. His son, Richard, the 5th Baronet, was High Sheriff of Cheshire from 1787 to 1788. On his death, the title passed to his son, Richard, the 6th Baronet, High Sheriff of Cheshire from 1817 to 1818. His eldest son, Richard, the 7th Baronet, was High Sheriff of Cheshire between 1869 and 1870. His grandson, Richard, the 9th Baronet was High Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1931, a Deputy Lieutenant of the county and a member of the Worcestershire County Council.

As of 2025, the title is held by his great-grandson, the 12th Baronet, who succeeded his father in 2012.^[2]

Brooke baronets, of Norton Priory (1662)

Richard Brooke, 5th Bt (1753–1795), by Thomas Gainsborough

• Sir Henry Brooke, 1st Baronet (c. 1611–1664)^[1]
• Sir Richard Brooke, 2nd Baronet (c. 1635–1710)^[1]
• Sir Thomas Brooke, 3rd Baronet (c. 1664–1737)^[1]
• Sir Richard Brooke, 4th Baronet (c. 1719–1781)^[1]
• Sir Richard Brooke, 5th Baronet (c. 1753–1795)^[1]
• Sir Richard Brooke, 6th Baronet (1785–1865)^[1]
• Sir Richard Brooke, 7th Baronet (1814–1888), High Sheriff of Cheshire in 1869^[1]
• Sir Richard Marcus Brooke, 8th Baronet (1850–1920)^[1][3]
• Sir Richard Christopher Brooke, 9th Baronet (1888–1981)^[4]
• Sir Richard Neville Brooke, 10th Baronet (1915–1997)^[5]
• Sir (Richard) David Christopher Brooke, 11th Baronet (1938–2012)^[6]
• Sir (Richard) Christopher Brooke, 12th Baronet (born 1966)^[7][8]

The heir presumptive is the present holder's brother Edward Marcus Brooke (born 1970).^[7]

Extended family

Richard Brooke (died 1569), great-grandfather of the 1st Baronet, purchased the Norton Priory estate and was Sheriff of Cheshire in 1563. Thomas Brooke (died 1622), a grandfather of the first Baronet, was Sheriff of Cheshire in 1592. Thomas Brooke (1816–1880), second son of the 6th Baronet, was a General in the British Army. His son, Alured de Vere Brooke (1841–1926), was a colonel in the Royal Engineers. Sarah, Lady Brooke — the spouse of Sir Christopher, the current holder — is better known as Sarah Montague, the BBC journalist.

Notes

1. Cokayne, George Edward (1903). Complete Baronetage. Vol. III. Exeter: W. Pollard & Co., Ltd. pp. 268–270.
2. "BROOKE - Deaths Announcements". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 29 October 2012.
3. "Brooke, Sir Richard Marcus". Who's Who. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
4. "Brooke, Sir Richard Christopher". Who's Who. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
5. "Brooke, Sir Richard (Neville)". Who's Who. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
6. "Brooke, Sir Richard (David Christopher)". Who's Who. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
7. "Brooke, Sir (Richard) Christopher". Who's Who. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
8. "Norton Priory Museum & Gardens | the Board Members".