Charles Brown (Taranaki)
Encyclopedia
Charles Brown was a New Zealand
politician from the Taranaki area.
, England
, the illegitimate son of Charles Armitage Brown
(the close friend and biographer of the poet
John Keats
) and Abigail O'Donohue, an Irish house servant at Wentworth Place where Brown and Keats resided. However, Brown claimed later in life that his parents were married in a Catholic
service in Ireland
in August 1819, but this claim seems to be discounted by biographers as merely an attempt to cover up his illegitimacy, which was a social stigma
in those times.
At age two, his father took him to Italy where they lived for a number of years, initially in Pisa
and later in Florence
. Brown received all his early education in Italy from his father. In his writings his father refers to his son by the name "Carlino" and this appeared to be his name in common usage in England and Europe. In 1826 at age six, Carlino's portrait was painted by artist Joseph Severn
, who had nursed John Keats
in his final illness and was a close friend of his father.
Around 1836 in order to provide a better education for Brown, they returned to England and lived in Plymouth
. Unlike his literary father, Brown had a more pragmatic nature and was attracted to civil engineering
.
In 1840, his father became a shareholder in the newly formed Plymouth Company, which aimed to colonise New Plymouth, New Zealand. Shortly afterwards, his father's finances were ruined when he was forced to repay a friend's loan having agreed to be guarantor. With what little fortune remained to him, his father decided that they should immigrate to New Plymouth as a pioneer community would provide the best opportunities for son Charles as a civil engineer given their limited capital. At age 17, Brown junior immigrated on the Amelia Thompson, the first settler ship of the Plymouth Company arriving in 1841. His father followed on a second ship, arriving three weeks later on the Oriental.
Brown and his father lived on top of a hill near the mouth of Te Henui River, what is now the suburb of Welbourn
. The short Brown Street in that area commemorates the family.
Brown's father died of an apoplectic stroke on 5 June 1842, only 8 months after his arrival in New Plymouth
. He was buried on Marsland Hill above the original St Mary's church.
Charles Brown married twice. He married Margaret Joy Horne on 13 May 1851. He had 4 daughters (and a son who died as a baby) with his first wife and twin sons and a daughter with his second wife, Jessie Northcroft. His children from his first marriage included:
and from his second marriage:
, Charles had brought saw-milling equipment with him and quickly set about establishing a successful timber business.
Brown established and owned the newspaper Taranaki News from 1859.
In 1855, Charles became a member of the militia with the rank of Captain. He served in the Maori Wars, in particular the First Taranaki War
and the Second Taranaki War
. In 1860, Charles Brown commanded a force of 150 militia and volunteers in a major battle against three or four hundred Maoris at Waireka Hill. He was promoted to the rank of Major
on 7 Nov 1864. He was widely known as "The Major" in his community thereafter (the name Carlino seemed not to have followed him to New Zealand).
. On 16 July 1853 at age 33 years, Charles Brown was elected to be the first Superintendent of the Taranaki Provincial Government
., from which he resigned on 4 January 1857. On 24 May 1861, he was again elected as Superintendent, holding that office until 4 September 1865.
He served two separate terms in the 2nd New Zealand Parliament
as representative for the Grey and Bell electorate. He was elected at the general election on 8 November 1855, and resigned on 16 August 1856 to (unsuccessfully) contest the superintendency.
He contested a 17 May 1858 by-election against Dillon Bell
in the Grey and Bell electorate. Brown and Bell received 75 and 61 votes, respectively. Brown was thus declared elected. He resigned in 1860, when his militia service required his full attention.
He later served in the 3rd New Zealand Parliament
as representative for the Town of New Plymouth
electorate from 1864 to 1865, and in the 4th New Zealand Parliament
as representative for the Omata
electorate from 1868 to 1870.
He was Colonial Treasurer (forerunner to the modern Minister of Finance
) in the first Fox Ministry under Premier William Fox
.
In the 1890s, Brown donated memorabilia of John Keats to the Keats House museum
. Some of the items he had inherited from his father Charles Armitage Brown, while others were obtained from Keats' relatives and friends and their descendants with whom the Brown family remained in contact over the years. His descendants continued to donate Keats memorabilia over the years.
He died in 1901 when, aged 81 years, he was hit by a train in New Plymouth in the main street of the town. He had been on his way to catch a bus, when he was distracted and crossed the road to buy some fish, and then stepped back across the road into the path of the train. The death of such a well-known local identity, which was witnessed by many citizens, led to the relocation of the railway line to prevent similar accidents.
Like his father, he was buried on Marsland Hill. His headstone names him as Charles Keats Brown, although there seems to be no prior evidence of Keats as his middle name. However, given his father's close friendship with John Keats at the time of Charles's birth, it does not appear to be completely implausible either.
, written and directed by Jane Campion
which focuses on the final few years of the life of John Keats
and his relationship with Fanny Brawne
and Charles's father Charles Armitage Brown
. In the film, Charles Armitage Brown
(played by actor Paul Schneider
) is presented as close to "a villain, a cynical boor who knocks up his housemaid (Antonia Campbell-Hughes
) and banishes Fanny so the boys can work on their plays and poems". The pregnant housemaid in the movie was called "Abigail" and so was presumably intended to represent Abigail O'Donohue, Charles Brown's mother. In one scene, Abigail shows off her baby to the Brawne family; this baby must therefore be Charles Brown (the baby did not appear in the film credits, presumably as it was not a speaking role).
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
politician from the Taranaki area.
Personal life
Brown was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the illegitimate son of Charles Armitage Brown
Charles Armitage Brown
Charles Armitage Brown was born in Lambeth on 14 April 1787.He was a very close friend of the poet John Keats, as well as being a friend of artist Joseph Severn, Leigh Hunt, Thomas Jefferson Hogg, Walter Savage Landor and Edward John Trelawny...
(the close friend and biographer of the poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
John Keats
John Keats
John Keats was an English Romantic poet. Along with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, he was one of the key figures in the second generation of the Romantic movement, despite the fact that his work had been in publication for only four years before his death.Although his poems were not...
) and Abigail O'Donohue, an Irish house servant at Wentworth Place where Brown and Keats resided. However, Brown claimed later in life that his parents were married in a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
service in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in August 1819, but this claim seems to be discounted by biographers as merely an attempt to cover up his illegitimacy, which was a social stigma
Social stigma
Social stigma is the severe disapproval of or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society.Almost all stigma is based on a person differing from social or cultural norms...
in those times.
At age two, his father took him to Italy where they lived for a number of years, initially in Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
and later in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. Brown received all his early education in Italy from his father. In his writings his father refers to his son by the name "Carlino" and this appeared to be his name in common usage in England and Europe. In 1826 at age six, Carlino's portrait was painted by artist Joseph Severn
Joseph Severn
Joseph Severn was an English portrait and subject painter and a personal friend of the famous English poet John Keats...
, who had nursed John Keats
John Keats
John Keats was an English Romantic poet. Along with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, he was one of the key figures in the second generation of the Romantic movement, despite the fact that his work had been in publication for only four years before his death.Although his poems were not...
in his final illness and was a close friend of his father.
Around 1836 in order to provide a better education for Brown, they returned to England and lived in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
. Unlike his literary father, Brown had a more pragmatic nature and was attracted to civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
.
In 1840, his father became a shareholder in the newly formed Plymouth Company, which aimed to colonise New Plymouth, New Zealand. Shortly afterwards, his father's finances were ruined when he was forced to repay a friend's loan having agreed to be guarantor. With what little fortune remained to him, his father decided that they should immigrate to New Plymouth as a pioneer community would provide the best opportunities for son Charles as a civil engineer given their limited capital. At age 17, Brown junior immigrated on the Amelia Thompson, the first settler ship of the Plymouth Company arriving in 1841. His father followed on a second ship, arriving three weeks later on the Oriental.
Brown and his father lived on top of a hill near the mouth of Te Henui River, what is now the suburb of Welbourn
Welbourn, New Zealand
Welbourn is a suburb of New Plymouth, in the western North Island of New Zealand. It is located to the southeast of the city centre...
. The short Brown Street in that area commemorates the family.
Brown's father died of an apoplectic stroke on 5 June 1842, only 8 months after his arrival in New Plymouth
New Plymouth
New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....
. He was buried on Marsland Hill above the original St Mary's church.
Charles Brown married twice. He married Margaret Joy Horne on 13 May 1851. He had 4 daughters (and a son who died as a baby) with his first wife and twin sons and a daughter with his second wife, Jessie Northcroft. His children from his first marriage included:
- Laura Brown (later Mrs Tobin)
- Jessie Brown (later Mrs Brown)
- Lucy Brown
and from his second marriage:
- William A. Brown
- Charles Keats Brown
- Mona Martha Brown (later Mrs Gordon Osbourne)
Professional life
On arrival at New PlymouthNew Plymouth
New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....
, Charles had brought saw-milling equipment with him and quickly set about establishing a successful timber business.
Brown established and owned the newspaper Taranaki News from 1859.
In 1855, Charles became a member of the militia with the rank of Captain. He served in the Maori Wars, in particular the First Taranaki War
First Taranaki War
The First Taranaki War was an armed conflict over land ownership and sovereignty that took place between Māori and the New Zealand Government in the Taranaki district of New Zealand's North Island from March 1860 to March 1861....
and the Second Taranaki War
Second Taranaki War
-Background and causes of the war:The conflict in Taranaki had its roots in the First Taranaki War, which had ended in March 1861 with an uneasy truce. Neither side fulfilled the terms of the truce, leaving many of the issues unresolved...
. In 1860, Charles Brown commanded a force of 150 militia and volunteers in a major battle against three or four hundred Maoris at Waireka Hill. He was promoted to the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
on 7 Nov 1864. He was widely known as "The Major" in his community thereafter (the name Carlino seemed not to have followed him to New Zealand).
Political career
In 1853, the Constitution Act divided the colony into six provinces. Each province had an elected Provincial Council and was governed by a SuperintendentSuperintendent (politics)
Superintendent was the elected head of each Provincial Council in New Zealand from 1853 to 1876.-Historical context:Provinces existed in New Zealand from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. After the initial provinces pre-1853, new provinces were formed by the New Zealand...
. On 16 July 1853 at age 33 years, Charles Brown was elected to be the first Superintendent of the Taranaki Provincial Government
Taranaki Province
The Taranaki Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876...
., from which he resigned on 4 January 1857. On 24 May 1861, he was again elected as Superintendent, holding that office until 4 September 1865.
He served two separate terms in the 2nd New Zealand Parliament
2nd New Zealand Parliament
The 2nd New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 15 April 1856, following New Zealand's 1855 election. It was dissolved on 5 November 1860 in preparation for 1860–61 election...
as representative for the Grey and Bell electorate. He was elected at the general election on 8 November 1855, and resigned on 16 August 1856 to (unsuccessfully) contest the superintendency.
He contested a 17 May 1858 by-election against Dillon Bell
Dillon Bell
Sir Francis Dillon Bell KCMG CB MLC was a New Zealand politician of the late 19th century. He served as New Zealand's third Minister of Finance , and later as its third Speaker of the House...
in the Grey and Bell electorate. Brown and Bell received 75 and 61 votes, respectively. Brown was thus declared elected. He resigned in 1860, when his militia service required his full attention.
He later served in the 3rd New Zealand Parliament
3rd New Zealand Parliament
The 3rd New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Elections for this term were held between 12 December 1860 and 28 March 1861 in 43 electorates to elect 53 MPs...
as representative for the Town of New Plymouth
New Plymouth (New Zealand electorate)
New Plymouth is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It was first created for the 1st New Zealand Parliament in 1853 and has existed since, with one 22-year interruption...
electorate from 1864 to 1865, and in the 4th New Zealand Parliament
4th New Zealand Parliament
The 4th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand.Elections for this term were held in 61 electorates between 12 February and 6 April 1866 to elect 70 MPs. Parliament was prorogued in late 1870. During the term of this Parliament, two Ministries were in power...
as representative for the Omata
Omata (New Zealand electorate)
Omata was a Taranaki electorate in the New Zealand Parliament from 1853 to 1870. It was based on the township of Omata.-Members:The following Members of Parliament represented the Omata electorate:...
electorate from 1868 to 1870.
He was Colonial Treasurer (forerunner to the modern Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
) in the first Fox Ministry under Premier William Fox
William Fox (New Zealand)
Sir William Fox, KCMG was the second Premier of New Zealand on four occasions in the 19th century, while New Zealand was still a colony. He was known for his eventual support of Māori land rights, his contributions to the education system , and his work to increase New Zealand's autonomy from...
.
Later life
Later in life, Charles served the community of New Plymouth as a Maori interpreter as he had learned the language and customs of the Maori people over his long life in New Plymouth.In the 1890s, Brown donated memorabilia of John Keats to the Keats House museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
. Some of the items he had inherited from his father Charles Armitage Brown, while others were obtained from Keats' relatives and friends and their descendants with whom the Brown family remained in contact over the years. His descendants continued to donate Keats memorabilia over the years.
He died in 1901 when, aged 81 years, he was hit by a train in New Plymouth in the main street of the town. He had been on his way to catch a bus, when he was distracted and crossed the road to buy some fish, and then stepped back across the road into the path of the train. The death of such a well-known local identity, which was witnessed by many citizens, led to the relocation of the railway line to prevent similar accidents.
Like his father, he was buried on Marsland Hill. His headstone names him as Charles Keats Brown, although there seems to be no prior evidence of Keats as his middle name. However, given his father's close friendship with John Keats at the time of Charles's birth, it does not appear to be completely implausible either.
Popular culture
Charles Brown featured (in a small way) in the 2009 film Bright StarBright Star (film)
Bright Star is a 2009 film based on the last three years of the life of poet John Keats and his romantic relationship with Fanny Brawne. It stars Ben Whishaw as Keats and Abbie Cornish as Fanny...
, written and directed by Jane Campion
Jane Campion
Jane Campion is a filmmaker and screenwriter. She is one of the most internationally successful New Zealand directors, although most of her work has been made in or financed by other countries, principally Australia – where she now lives – and the United States...
which focuses on the final few years of the life of John Keats
John Keats
John Keats was an English Romantic poet. Along with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, he was one of the key figures in the second generation of the Romantic movement, despite the fact that his work had been in publication for only four years before his death.Although his poems were not...
and his relationship with Fanny Brawne
Fanny Brawne
Frances Brawne Lindon is most known for her betrothal to 19th-Century English Romantic poet John Keats, a fact largely unknown until 1878, when Keats' letters to her were published...
and Charles's father Charles Armitage Brown
Charles Armitage Brown
Charles Armitage Brown was born in Lambeth on 14 April 1787.He was a very close friend of the poet John Keats, as well as being a friend of artist Joseph Severn, Leigh Hunt, Thomas Jefferson Hogg, Walter Savage Landor and Edward John Trelawny...
. In the film, Charles Armitage Brown
Charles Armitage Brown
Charles Armitage Brown was born in Lambeth on 14 April 1787.He was a very close friend of the poet John Keats, as well as being a friend of artist Joseph Severn, Leigh Hunt, Thomas Jefferson Hogg, Walter Savage Landor and Edward John Trelawny...
(played by actor Paul Schneider
Paul Schneider (actor)
Paul Andrew Schneider is an American film actor.-Early life and career:Schneider was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. He graduated from the North Carolina School of Arts...
) is presented as close to "a villain, a cynical boor who knocks up his housemaid (Antonia Campbell-Hughes
Antonia Campbell-Hughes
Antonia Campbell-Hughes is a Northern Irish actress of English and Irish descent, best known for appearing in Jack Dee's sitcom Lead Balloon....
) and banishes Fanny so the boys can work on their plays and poems". The pregnant housemaid in the movie was called "Abigail" and so was presumably intended to represent Abigail O'Donohue, Charles Brown's mother. In one scene, Abigail shows off her baby to the Brawne family; this baby must therefore be Charles Brown (the baby did not appear in the film credits, presumably as it was not a speaking role).
External links
- “Half portrait of Charles ‘Carlino’ Brown, aged six,” by Joseph SevernJoseph SevernJoseph Severn was an English portrait and subject painter and a personal friend of the famous English poet John Keats...
, 1826 - 'B.J. Foster, 'Brown, Charles (1820-1901)', Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966.