Roger Brocksom

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Major

Roger Brocksom
Born
Roger Sidney Brocksom

(1919-11-09)9 November 1919
Grimsby, Humberside, England
Died26 May 2001(2001-05-26) (aged 81)
Leatherhead, Surrey, England
Cause of deathStroke with complications from Alzheimer's disease
NationalityEnglish
Alma materUniversity of Nottingham
Occupation(s)Engineer, soldier
Years active1941–1947
OrganizationBritish Army
Spouse
June Spencer (m. 1942)
Children2

Major Roger Sidney Brocksom (9 November 1919 – 26 May 2001) was an English engineer and soldier. He became well-known as the husband of the actress June Spencer, whom he married during World War II.

Early life[change | change source]

Roger Sidney Brocksom was born in Grimsby, Humberside, England on 9 November 1919,[1] as the elder of two children to Gertrude Mary[2] (née Benton;[3] 1890–1970)[4] and Sidney John Brocksom (1981–1962),[5][6] a schoolmaster.[7] His younger sister was Beryl Mary Everett[8] (née Brocksom;[9] 1924–1996).[10]

Brocksom attended the University of Nottingham.[7][11]

Brocksom had "other girlfriends" in his youth.[12]

Career[change | change source]

1937–1940; Early work[change | change source]

Brocksom began his career as an engineer.[13]

1941–1947; with the British Army[change | change source]

Brocksom was drafted to the British Army on 23 November 1941. His military regiment number was 217493.[14] He held the rank of a Second Lieutenant.[7] He served in Northern Ireland.[15] He was posted to India and Burma for three year and four months in February 1943, where he was upgraded to a Major.[16] He would frequently write to his new bride.[17] He returned home at the end of May 1946. He remained in the Army for another year, stationed at Devizes.[18] He was demobbed after six years of service.[19]

1948–1991; Later work[change | change source]

Brocksom found work at the London office of Palmers Hepburn, with six months training in Newcastle.[19]

Personal life[change | change source]

Brocksom met June Spencer, an actress, while on holiday in Chapel-St-Leonards, Lincolnshire in 1936, both aged 17.[7] The couple got engaged with their banns being read in Armagh Cathedral, while he was on leave from serving in Northern Ireland, and were married in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire on 27 May 1942,[20] by Bishop Neville Talbolt.[15] He proposed to her by asking: "How would you feel about being married to a Second Lieutenant?", to which she replied: "I wouldn't mind if it was you".[7] They adopted[21] two children through the Surrey County Council;[22] a son David, a dancer, in 1952, and a daughter Rosalind "Ros", a council worker, two-and-a-half years later.[23]

Brocksom resided in a bungalow in Leatherhead, Surrey until his death.[24] His first marital home was in Worcester Park.[25] He previously lived in Sutton, Cheam[26] and Esher.[27] He owned a second home, named Casa Ruisenor, in Menorca, Spain, which he purchased in April 1972.[28]

Brocksom joined the Round Table - the under-40s part of Rotary - in 1954.[29]

Health[change | change source]

Brocksom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1992.[30] Eventually, his only memories were of his wartime service in Burma. He had a series of transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) one day and was taken to the hospital.[31] He had a stroke and was admitted to hospital while on holiday in Menorca on 7 November 2000.[32][33] The couple enjoyed an afternoon in their back garden on 25 May 2001, two days prior to their 59th wedding anniversary, his wife said: "It's such a lovely day, let's have lunch in the garden!", he kept repeating: "Isn't this lovely? What a lovely lunch!".[34][33]

Death[change | change source]

Brocksom died from a stroke with complications from Alzheimer's disease in Leatherhead, Surrey on 26 May 2001, the day before his 59th wedding anniversary. He was 81.[35][36][34][33] His obituary was published by The Daily Telegraph on 28 May.[37] He was buried in the churchyard in his back garden.[38]

Brocksom's son, David, died from a massive internal hemorrhage with complications from alcoholism in Nuremberg, Germany on 2 November 2006. He was 55.[38] He was cremated in Germany, bought back to England and was buried in their churchyard beside his father.[38]

In popular culture[change | change source]

Brocksom's battle with Alzheimer's disease was the semi-inspiration behind the early 2000s The Archers storyline which saw Jack Archer, the husband of his wife's character, Peggy, showing the symptoms and eventually being diagnosed.[30][39][40][41][42]

Brocksom's churchyard grave was the location for an episode of the BBC Television religious programme Songs of Praise.[43]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ "Roger S Brocksom in the Geneanet Community Trees Index". Ancestry. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  2. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: APR 1970 5g 629 SURREY – Gertrude Mary Brocksom
  3. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915: 1915 7a 1849 GRIMSBY – Gertrude M Benton = Sidney J Brocksom
  4. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915: 1890 7a 627 CAISTOR – Gertrude Mary Benton
  5. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915: 1891 7a 594 CAISTOR – Sidney John Brocksom
  6. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: JUL 1962 3b 187 GRIMSBY – Sidney John Brocksom
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 47. ISBN 9781907532252.
  8. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: JAN 1996 (aged 71) D72C 221 COLCHESTER – Beryl Mary Everett
  9. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: JUL 1943 7a 1454 GRIMSBY – Beryl M Brocksom = Louis J H Everett
  10. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JUL 1924 7a 981 GRIMSBY – Beryl M Brocksom
  11. ↑ "Celebrating Summer Graduation 2012 at The University of Nottingham". University of Nottingham. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  12. ↑ "Desert Island Discs, June Spencer". BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  13. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 57. ISBN 9781907532252.
  14. ↑ UK, London Gazettes World War II Military Notices, 1939-1945: 23 NOV 1941 35377 7043 LONDON – Roger Sidney Brocksom 217493
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 48. ISBN 9781907532252.
  16. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 49. ISBN 9781907532252.
  17. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 52. ISBN 9781907532252.
  18. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 58. ISBN 9781907532252.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 59. ISBN 9781907532252.
  20. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: APR 1942 7b 929 NOTTINGHAM – Roger S Brocksom = June R Spencer
  21. ↑ "June Spencer: 'I am not Peggy Woolley. She has no sense of fun'". The Independent. 26 December 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  22. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 105. ISBN 9781907532252.
  23. ↑ Sengupta, Abhirup (9 August 2022). "June Spencer's children: All about The Archers star's family as BBC soap legend retires aged 103". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  24. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 237. ISBN 9781907532252.
  25. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road To Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 59. ISBN 9781907532252.
  26. ↑ Sutton, Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1931-1970: 1949 085 15 Sutton and Cheam, Surrey – Roger S Brocksom
  27. ↑ Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962: 1962 Esher, Surrey – Roger S Brocksom
  28. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 87. ISBN 9781907532252.
  29. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 79. ISBN 9781907532252.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Hill, Amelia (25 September 2005). "'The most heartfelt part I have ever played'". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  31. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 164. ISBN 9781907532252.
  32. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 165. ISBN 9781907532252.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 168. ISBN 9781907532252.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 167. ISBN 9781907532252.
  35. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: MAY 2001 (aged 81) 7611A 40 SURREY – Roger Sidney Brocksom
  36. ↑ "June Spencer retires: The Archers cast express their love for the matriarch of Ambridge". BBC. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  37. ↑ "Roger Brocksom in the UK and Ireland, Newspapers.com™ Obituary Index, 1800s-current". Ancestry. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 193. ISBN 9781907532252.
  39. ↑ Pugh, Rachel (14 June 2005). "Ambridge hosts a painful drama". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  40. ↑ Moreton, Cole (18 January 2014). "The Archers' storyline that touched a nation". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  41. ↑ Payne, Tom (26 December 2015). "Peggy Woolley actress: 'The creator of The Archers thought he was God'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  42. ↑ "Our Alzheimer's story - Sunday Telegraph article". BBC. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  43. ↑ Spencer, June (2010). The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers. JR Books Ltd. pp. 99. ISBN 9781907532252.
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