Now a

, Broughton Lodge was built in the early 1780s for John Birch, the director of the Backbarrow Cotton Mill. The mill was a big textile factory which in 1797, John Barker's year of birth, employed 310 workers. See the extended description of the mill and its business by historian Ronald Mein: "

", with a fine painting of the Mill in 1860. It was established in 1782 and owned by Birch and 3 co-owners, among them for some years John Barker's father

(until the dissolution of their partnership in 1799). Later Birch became bankrupt, and the house was "peremptorily sold" in 1808. At this sale it was described as a "modern, elegant mansion" (as John Humphreys reports). Many years later, in 1849 or before, Broughton Lodge was bought by John Barker and stayed in the Barker family until 1901.

born on 2nd December 1797 in Haverthwaite, England
died on 15th August 1869 in Haverthwaite, England
 
John Barker was a son of

and Elizabeth Sandys.

He married

on 3rd June 1840;
the couple had 8 children, among them

,
Robin and Katya Müller's great-great-grandmother.

Above and below: Broughton Lodge today ( © Copyright

and licensed for

under  

). The building is now converted into flats and semi-detached houses.

Together with the other inhabitants of Broughton Lodge, John Barker appears in the census for 1851 (see below) and 1861. As his employment we find "gunpowder manufacturer". He continued the business started by his father

.

Left: there seems to have been nanother farm or manor belonging to Broughton Lodge, called "Black Beck Hall", Ayside (not to be confused with the Benson and Dickson families' site "

"). In 2006 it was demolished in favour of the

. This site seems to have existed since 1630 as a farm and, from an unknown date on, belonged to Broughton Lodge which was about 2 miles away. It seems to have been extended to something bigger, possibly manor- like, in the late 18th or in the 19th century.

Above:
Mrs. Ridehalgh, who lived at Broughton Lodge about mid-20th century and famously had an impressive grand car.

Below: Harriett Barker's daughters Amy and Ida Dickson (right and left), with their cousin Alice Daye Barker, at Broughton Lodge

John Barker and his family lived at

BROUGHTON LODGE

(above in a picture from Harriett Barker's days).