Joseph Ladbrook

[mikelobb]

Does anyone have any information about the Ladbrook family history of Mount Bures? I have in my family possessions a watercolour portrait of Joseph Ladbrook and underneath his picture and name is written: Mount Bures. Sailed to East Indies July 4th 1828. He is related on my mother's (nee Bibby) side of the family. I noticed that the family name Ladbrook features on the Bures Census 1851 that is published on the website. I will be grateful for any leads as this is the first time I have tried to find out about my family tree, inspired by this portrait and your website is my first port of call. Thank you, Regards, Mike Lobb

[ida]

I have looked through my notes and I cannot find any information on your family.
It may be worth having a 10 day free trial with "Ancestry.co.uk" to see if that reveals anything new

Ida McMaster
Village Historian

[valwill]

Hi Mike
Not sure if you had any luck with the Ladbrook family but they feature in my family as well. My gr.gr. gr grandmother was Deborah Ladbrook born about 1800 in Bures St Mary. She married Philip Hunt in1817. Her father William was born in Bures St Mary about 1775. It is possible that Deborah and Joseph were related. My great grandfather was named Joseph Ladbrook Hunt. Be interested to know if you found anything.
Val Willey

[steveladbrook]

My great-great-grandfather William Ladbrook was born about 1835, Bures St Mary. He learned his trade as a miller at Bures Mill (owned by the Hitchcock family?) before buying the mill in Elmsett near Ipswich and establishing my family business W. Ladbrook & Son which finally closed in 1995. William's father (John) was born in Nayland in 1807 but married Ann Dupont from Bures St Mary in 1834. The Dupont family who's family were shopkeepers in Bures can trace their family line back to Philip Dupont a Huguenot priest who fled France in fear of his life in 1685.

My branch (there appear to be a few) of the Ladbrook family can be traced to William's grandfather Peter who married Anne Miller at Little Horkesley in 1803. I don't know the link between my ancestors and Joseph or Deborah Ladbrook but it would be great if someone could help us to find out.

The name Ladbrook in East Anglia is thought to stem from the Viking invasions and the notorious Danish king Ragnar Lodbrok (see Wikipedia). The name Lodbrok means "Hairy-Breeks" i.e hairy trousers which apparently he wore to prevent the snakes from biting, which is ironic as Ragnar was executed by being thrown in snake pit by a Northumbrian king. He sons took revenge for his murder by invading East Anglia and presumably established our branch of the family.

An alternative version of Ragnar's death was that he befriended King Edmund (the first English saint) who was interred in Bury St Edmunds, where I now live. Kind Edmund was thought to have been crowned in Bures St Mary. In this version of event Ragnar was killed by one of Edmund's courtiers.

Which ever version is true it seems that King Edmunds was killed by the Danes under the leadership of Ragnar Lodbrok's vengeful sons. Sorry about that.

Steve Ladbrook (steve.ladbrook@me.com)

[valwill]

Hi Steve

Many thanks for this information. I will add it to my family history. If I find anything further I will let you know.

Regards
Val