THE BROME-WALTON FAMILY. 
455 
25th December, 1770, writes to Lieutenant “Blomfield” ... I 
am not sure if Colonel “ Broome '' has acquainted you with the inten¬ 
tions I had with regard to yourself, which were, now on his promotion 
to the Majority, which of course takes him from me, to desire your 
attendance with me in his place . . - 1 
The period of Colonel Brome's command at Woolwich abounded in 
items of local interest, a few of which only can be now particularised. 
On 6th July, 1773, the occasion of George III. visiting Woolwich in 
State had well-nigh cost the life of Col. Brome, for whom, in 20 years 
of continuous war service, no bullet had ever found a billet, by an 
incident which is thus described in the “ History of the Royal Artil¬ 
lery,” Yol. I., p. 266, from the contemporary MSS. of Col. Cleaveland : 
[Note. —At this time the Commandant of Woolwich was General G. William¬ 
son (the conqueror of Louisbourg), with Colonel Brome as Commanding R.A.] 
“ Colonel Brome, in parading in front of the Regiment, before His Majesty, on 
a very beautiful and well-broke horse, but very tender mouthed, checked him, 
which made the horse rise upon his hind legs and fall backwards upon his rider, 
who is so greatly bruised that his life is despaired of.” 
Yet such was the vigour of this hardy veteran that shortly after¬ 
wards we find Colonel Brome serving on a committee of field officers, 
and for 23 more years we shall find him actively in harness. 
In 1777 Brome was promoted Colonel in tbe Army; in 1732, Major- 
General; and in 1793, Lieutenant-General. 
In 1778, the Repository was built and laid out. 
In 1776, the eastern half of the barracks at Woolwich was completed 
and occupied by eight companies from the Warren. 2 The site had 
been chosen in 1772 by General Conway, Major-General Williamson, 
and Colonel Brome—a site which, apart from defensive considerations, 
would be considered very picturesque were it anywhere but at Wool¬ 
wich. In 1781 the western half was completed; in 1783 the Mess-room 
(now the Garrison Theatre) was finished, and continued in use until 
1782, when the present Mess-room was allotted and the former build¬ 
ing converted into the Garrison Chapel. The quarters supported by 
colonades were termed ce Officers' Pavillions;'' the others, “ Men's 
Barracks.'' In 1791, General Brome, who had supervised the com¬ 
mencement and completion of the barracks, made the following 
representation to the Board of Ordnance 
“Woolwich, 16tli December, 1791. 
My Lord, and Right Honorable and 
Honorable Gentlemen, 
I have to submit to your consideration the present state of the Barrack Eield, 
which, from its various irregularities, is extremely unfavourable to the appearance 
of the Regiment on a Rield-day or Review. I would wish to propose that it might 
he plowed up at a proper season, in order to obtain a general level surface, the 
ridges now being so numerous that it is impossible to preserve the appearance of 
being well dressed, although the Battalion really is so. The ground on which the 
reviewing General is supposed to take up his station is particularly subject to the 
1 General Brome’s residence at Shooters’ Hill (now occupied by Admiral Crofton) is to this day 
incorrectly spelt “ Broom Hallbut General G-oodenough (present occupant) has taken care of 
the correct orthography of the adjacent “ Blomejteld House.” 
2 “ Records of Woolwich ” (Vincent), Vol. II., p. 386. 
