Brereton

In 1279 known as ‘Breredon’’ (Hill where the briars grow) [The Oxford Names Companion]

Brereton, on the Lichfield road, one and a half miles SE of Rugeley, is a large village with several well built houses, mostly in Rugeley parish, and partly in the parishes of Armitage and Longdon. It is occupied partly by miners employed in the extensive collieries belonging to Earl Talbot and the Marquis of Anglesey, in the adjacent parts of Cannock Chase, from which there are tram roads down to the Trent & Mersey Canal. [From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851]

Until the middle of the 19th Century Brereton and Rugeley were one parish and then became separate parishes but remaining good neighbours. In more recent years the friendship between the two parishes matured into a number of areas of active co-operation and after 18 months of discussions it was decided that the parishes would be better equipped for service and mission by formally uniting as one. On 1st June 2006 the separate parishes of Rugeley and Brereton became officially the Parish Brereton and Rugeley. The union was marked by a day of celebration on the 19th November of that year.

Brereton a chapelry district, in the Parish of Rugeley, union of Lichfield, E. division of the hundred of Cuttlestone, S. division of the county of Stafford, 1 ¼ miles (S.E.) from Rugeley; containing about 1160 inhabitants. This district is the south-eastern portion of the parish. The river Trent forms its boundary on the north-east and the Grand Trunk canal passes through it, communicating by two railroads with collieries of considerable extent belonging to Earl Talbot and the Marquess of Anglesey. The scenery is extremely beautiful, presenting the varieties of woodland, moorland, well cultivated fields, and hill and dale: a large portion of Cannock Chase is included in the district; the remainder is partly opasture, and partly arable land. The village lies on the road from Lichfield to Stafford, and is distance seven miles from the former, and nine miles from the latter place; it contains several well built houses. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the Vicar of Rugeley, endowed partly by private benefaction, and partly by grants from Queen Anne’s Bounty and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners; net income, £120, with a parsonage-house, and nine acres of glebe. The church, names St. Michael’s, stands on the brow of a hill by the side of the road; it was built in 1837, at the cost of nearly £1800, and is a cruciform structure with lancet windows, containing 422 sittings, of which 222 are free. Its situation has been happily chosen to set it off to advantage, and is much admired. A national school for boys was established in 1843, and is supported by subscription; there is also a national school for girls, founded by Miss Sneyd. A boy’s day school, established by Miss Birch, was endowed by her with £70 per annum; and the same lady founded almshouses for six poor people, to each of whom she left a perpetual allowance of 4s. per week. The last school and the almshouses are in connexion with the Wesleyan Methodists; who have here a place of worship. [Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1859]

Brereton, a chapelry in Rugeley parish, Stafford; adjacent to the Trent Valley railway, 1 mile SE of Rugeley. It was constituted in 1843; and it has a post office under Rugeley. Pop., 1,359. Houses, 281. Coal is worked. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Lichfield. Value, £164.* Patron, the Vicar of Rugeley. The church is in the early English style, and has a fine spire. There is a Wesleyan chapel. (John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales 1870 - 1872)

An extract for Brereton on the 1871 Census provided by The Staffordshire Past-Track

Have you got GILBERT family ancestors in Brereton? You may be related to this family

Brereton on Google map

Burntwood Family History Group has transcribed the parish records for Saint Michael's Church and are available to purchase

The Church of England website for Saint Michael's Church

A voluntary 'Look-up' exchange is available by Kay Christian for Saint Michael’s Church Baptisms (1843 – 1956), Marriages (1846 – 1956) and Burials (1843 -1946)

The Church of England website for Saint Oswald Church

Burntwood Family History Group has photographed and transcribed all the names on the Brereton War Memorial

The Staffordshire Record Office holds the Wesleyan Methodist Church Registers prior to 1970. Baptism registers (1817 - 1836) and (1857 - 1879)

Paupers in need of assistance from Brereton would have been examined and assessed, and if they met the criteria, they would have been admitted to Lichfield Workhouse