Broughton Terrace is the legacy of an otherwise largely forgotten man.
Despite obscurity today, this gentleman was a figure of prominence in early Bradford.
Henry Sanderson Broughton was born in Sculcoates, Yorkshire, England, July 9, 1843. The Broughton family immigrated to Canada when Henry was young, putting down roots in Toronto.
The Broughton family must have been well-off, as Henry received a fine education, and when he moved to Bradford in 1866, the 23-year-old had the funds to purchase the Bradford Chronicle newspaper. Not satisfied with the name and perhaps wanting to expand its reach, the young newspaperman immediately put his stamp on the publication by renaming it the South Simcoe News.
It was a good year for the young Broughton. Not only had he set himself up as a businessman, but he also married Ellen Jane Walker on March 29. The couple ended up having eight children together.
More success was in store for Broughton. In 1874, he was appointed postmaster for Bradford, succeeding Thomas Maconchy. (The Bradford post office had opened in 1840 under John Peacock.) The position of postmaster was a plum one, bringing with it a comfortable salary. It also fit tidily with his role as a publisher, as the newspaper of the day would list area residents who had letters waiting to be picked up at the post office.
By the 1880s, Broughton was a real man about town. In addition to his business interests, he was a justice of the peace and an acting magistrate, a position he held for three decades. Somehow, Broughton also found time to be active in local politics and social organizations. As a measure of the esteem in which his fellow townsfolk held him, Broughton was elected a member of town council, sat as a board member of the Model School, was a high-ranking Freemason, and became a leader in the Methodist congregation. He had his fingers all over Bradford.
Broughton built a fine home for his family, its relative size reflecting his standing in the community. It still stands at 67 James St.
In 1892, Broughton sold the newspaper to focus on his role as postmaster. Bradford was growing rapidly at the time and his postal duties would have demanded an increasing amount of his time. Selling the paper also meant it absolved him of the uncomfortable task of writing his own wife’s obituary when Ellen died suddenly April 8, 1899, aged 49. The cause of death seems to have been a stroke.
Broughton was still serving as postmaster when he joined her March 12, 1916. He had served 41 years in the role, the longest term in Bradford history. If he had done nothing else in life, that alone would have written him into the history books.
But, of course, he had done much, much more.
