Brigham Dynasty
If your surname is Brigham, and your family comes from Northumberland or Durham, then the chances are that you share a common ancestor with me. He is Captain John Brigham, merchant and ship's master, a Yorkshireman who sailed the seas and settled on Holy Island in the early part of the 18th Century.
John's origins are obscure but his living descendants are scattered across the globe, from Europe to Australia to North America. And nearly 300 years after his death, some of his family still live on the little island, also known as Lindisfarne, off the Northumberland coast, near the border between England and Scotland.
John's origins are obscure but his living descendants are scattered across the globe, from Europe to Australia to North America. And nearly 300 years after his death, some of his family still live on the little island, also known as Lindisfarne, off the Northumberland coast, near the border between England and Scotland.
Among John's hundreds of descendants was the co-founder of Brigham & Cowan, at one time the largest ship repairer in the UK, employing 300 people. Another Brigham business, the Berwick upon Tweed-based agricultural machine-maker Brigham & Bickerton, was at the forefront of the industrial revolution.
By 1841, there were 21 people with the surname Brigham living on Holy Island out of a population of 297. A further 14 Brighams were to be found in nearby villages. The 1881 census reveals 39 direct descendants of John Brigham, with the surname, living in Berwick, Holy Island and nearby Kyloe. Many others had married into local families.
In the 1890s, three of the pubs of the island - the Iron Rails Inn, the Castle Inn and the Crown and Anchor - were run by Brighams.
At least 28 Brighams are buried on Holy Island. Thirteen others can be found in Kyloe churchyard, across on the mainland.
2013 saw around 30 Brigham descendants from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and Germany gather together on the island for a Homecoming - see the picture above - where they could meet and share information. The local paper featured the story, which you care read here.
This website is designed to bring together what we know about John and his descendants and act as a focus for further research into the Brighams and associated families. For contact information see the About section of this site.
By 1841, there were 21 people with the surname Brigham living on Holy Island out of a population of 297. A further 14 Brighams were to be found in nearby villages. The 1881 census reveals 39 direct descendants of John Brigham, with the surname, living in Berwick, Holy Island and nearby Kyloe. Many others had married into local families.
In the 1890s, three of the pubs of the island - the Iron Rails Inn, the Castle Inn and the Crown and Anchor - were run by Brighams.
At least 28 Brighams are buried on Holy Island. Thirteen others can be found in Kyloe churchyard, across on the mainland.
2013 saw around 30 Brigham descendants from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and Germany gather together on the island for a Homecoming - see the picture above - where they could meet and share information. The local paper featured the story, which you care read here.
This website is designed to bring together what we know about John and his descendants and act as a focus for further research into the Brighams and associated families. For contact information see the About section of this site.