Broughton, John –  Local cricketer gave his name to national sports chain

John Jarvis Broughton (1873-1952)

BORN in Grantley Street, Grantham, John Jarvis Broughton went on to play cricket for Lancashire during the 1901-2 seasons.

He was brought up by his father joiner Jarvis Broughton, his mother Mary Ann having died in childbirth when he was three.

He became an engine fitter’s apprentice, then moved to Bispham, Lancashire where he became a mechanical draughtsman while he played county cricket for two seasons.

He married Sarah Mary Davis, of Nottingham, at Wigan, where he later lived.

He opened a fishing and sports shop using his initials JJB although after his death in 1952 it became JJ Bradburns. It became JJB Sports again in 1977 after being bought by Dave Whelan.

By 1980, JJB had become a chain of seven stores, and went on to expand throughout the 1980s and 1990s until it was the UK’s second biggest sports retailer. The company went into administration in 2012.