[2] Born in Laceby, Lincolnshire—and baptised there at St Mary's Church on 5 April 1791—Brooks was the son of yeoman farmer William Brooks and Ann Ostler.
[3] Between the 1830s and 1870s, he became one of the leaders of trade between Britain and Australia, with some connection found between his own career—involving exporting, importing, shipping, finance, banking, and political lobbying including promoting assisted emigration—and the development of the colonial Australian economy.
During the 1830s, he established business connections in eastern Australia and New Zealand, including Robert Campbell junior, John Rickards, and Raine and Ramsay, and became one of the largest importers of Australian wool.
The firm existed long after his death, holding as one of the largest importers of wool to the UK, and remained in family hands, diversifying into management and ownership of tea plantations in Ceylon, until 1968 when it entered liquidation.
[2][3] In 1859, Brooks was persuaded by Conservative colleagues to stand for election in Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, who cited his maritime aura as a positive factor.