BROADFOOT, GEORGE (1807–1845), major, the eldest of three brothers who all fell in the service of their country, entered the Indian army as an ensign in the 34th regiment of Madras native infantry, in January 1826. The greater part of his earlier service was passed with his regiment. Returning to England on furlough in 1836, he held the appointment of orderly officer at Addiscombe for thirteen months. In May 1841 he was sent to Cabul in command of the escort which accompanied the families of the Afghan chiefs, Shah Sujah and Zemán Shah to that place. On reaching Cabul, a portion of the escort was formed into a company of sappers and miners, which, under the command of Broadfoot, marched with Sir Robert Sale's force from Cabul to Jellálabád in October 1841, Broadfoot being specially mentioned in the despatches for his gallantry in the actions with the Afghans between Cabul and Gandamak. At Jellálabád Broadfoot became garrison engineer, and by his skill and vigour speedily restored the defences of the town, which had been found in a ruinous condition. During the siege of Jellálabád by the Afghans, Broadfoot was the life and soul of the garrison, and aided by his friend Havelock, then a captain of foot [see Havelock, Sir Henry], was instrumental in preventing a capitulation, which at one time had been resolved on by Sir Robert Sale and a majority of the principal officers of the force. In one of the sorties made by the beleaguered garrison Broadfoot was severely wounded. He subsequently accompanied General Pollock's army of retribution to Cabul, again distinguishing himself in the actions which were fought at Mammu Khél, Jagdallak, and Tezín. At the close of the war he was created a companion of the Bath, and was appointed commissioner of Moulmein, from which office he was transferred to that of agent to the governor-general on the Sikh frontier.
While filling the latter post Broadfoot was present at the sanguinary engagements of Mudki and Ferozshah, in the last of which (21 Dec. 1845) he was mortally wounded. His death and his services were thus described in Sir Henry Hardinge's report on the battle: 'It is now with great pain that I have to record the irreparable loss I have sustained, and more especially the East India Company's service, in the death of Major Broadfoot of the Madras army, my political agent. He was thrown from his horse by a shot, and I failed in prevailing upon him to leave the field. He remounted, and shortly afterwards received a mortal wound. He was brave as he was able in every branch of the political and military service.'
[Annual Register, 1845; Kaye's History of the War in Afghanistan, vols. ii. and iii. 3rd ed. 1874; India Office records.]
BROADWOOD, JOHN (1732–1812), pianoforte manufacturer, was born at Cockburnspath, Dunbar, N.B., in 1732. He came of an old family of Northumbrian yeomen, who. in the sixteenth century owned land near Hexham, but in the eighteenth century moved into Scotland. Broadwood's grandfather was John Broadwood of Oldhamstock, East Lothian, who married (1679) one Katherine Boan. His youngest son, James, married Margaret Pewes, and their eldest son was the celebrated pianoforte maker. Broadwood is said to have walked from Scotland to London to seek his fortune as a cabinet-maker. He found employment and ultimately entered into partnership with Burkhardt Tschudi, a Swiss harpsichord maker, who came to England in 1718, and in 1732 had taken the house in Great Pulteney Street, which is still the place of business of his descendants. In 1769 Tschudi retired (reserving to himself certain royalties and the right of tuning harpsichords at the oratorios) in favour of Broadwood, who had married his daughter Barbara, though for some time longer the style of the firm remained Tschudi & Broadwood. After the death of Tschudi (in 1773) his son entered for a short time into partnership with Broadwood, but in 1783 the business was in the sole hands of the latter, and remained so until 1795, when Broadwood's eldest son, James Tschudi Broadwood, was taken into partnership with his father. The latter died in 1812 and was buried in the burial-ground of the methodist chapel in Tottenham-Court Road.
Without entering into technical details it is impossible to describe the changes and improvements introduced in the construction of pianofortes by Broadwood and his partners. The history of the firm during this period is practically the history of the pianoforte, and the instruments manufactured in Great Pulteney Street acquired a European reputation by means of their admirable qualities. Broadwood's first patent, dated 17 July 1783, is for a 'new constructed pianoforte, which is far superior to any instrument of the kind heretofore constructed,' but it is known that prior to this he was engaged in assisting
