Brooke was born at Folkestone in Kent, the third child of a wine merchant, who with his wife was a Christian Scientist.
bɹˈʊk wʌz bˈɔːɹn æt fˈoʊkstoʊn ɪn kˈɛnt, ðə θˈɜːd tʃˈaɪld əvə wˈaɪn mˈɜːtʃənt, hˌuː wɪð hɪz wˈaɪf wʌzɐ kɹˈɪstʃən sˈaɪəntɪst.