Painter, teacher and writer, born in Hartlepool, County Durham, where he settled. He studied at the local College of Art, 1969–71, at Byam Shaw School of Drawing and Painting, 1971–4, then at Royal Academy Schools, 1974–7, where his teachers included Peter Greenham and Norman Blamey. Showed RA, NEAC and RBA, of which he was a member, also of the Watercolour Society of Ireland and a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers and had several solo exhibitions. Sometimes signed work only with initials. Wrote Pencil Drawing and Drawing with Ink and taught for a time at Hartlepool College of Further Education and Cleveland College of Art. Brobbel was in The Irish Show at The Wykeham Gallery, Stockbridge, in 2005.