Thomas Brash
Encyclopedia
Thomas Brash was a leading figure in New Zealand
's dairy industry and one of only four lay
moderator
s of the General Assembly in the history of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
. He was the father of Presbyterian and Ecumenical church leader Alan Brash
, and grandfather of Governor
of the Reserve Bank
and Leader of the National Party
Don Brash
.
, near Dunedin
, on November 29, 1874. His parents were descendants of Scottish
settlers who lived in Dunedin, and they bought their own farm of 400 acres (1.6 km²) at Mataura
Island, Southland
. Brash attended a small school near Yeovil, but had no formal secondary education.
. While in Mosgiel he joined the Taieri Ramblers’ Cycling
Club and became well known for his successful cycle races.
dairy factory, where he learnt cheese-making. Dairy expert John Sawers
arranged for him a successful application for the position of manager of Totara Flat dairy factory, near Reefton. The four directors who met him off the train, astounded at his youth, advised him of the difficulties of managing a dairy factory on the West Coast
, and offered him the chance to withdraw. Brash, however, set to work improving the quality of the operations. Many had complained about the sour taste of the factory's butter, and Brash had his staff spend three months cleaning the factory with immediate success.
, and his indulgence in drinking
, swearing
and gambling
. As a result he became a regular attendee and committed member of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand. He participated as an elder
and a Bible Class leader, and was twice appointed president of the Bible Class Union.
He studied accountancy
while in Waverley, and became a registered accountant in 1911.
where he joined the National Dairy Association of New Zealand as an assistant secretary
. He was appointed the association's representative in London
in 1919, and in 1921 returned to New Zealand to become secretary. He worked diligently to promote New Zealand dairy produce in Britain
, and helped to establish the New Zealand Dairy Produce Control Board (which became the New Zealand Dairy Board
), for which he was appointed the inaugural secretary and chief executive for 16 years. He was also involved in the establishment of the Dairy Research Institute at Massey Agricultural College
.
in Nelson
, which his son Jim managed for many years. He applied his knowledge of export
controls and marketing
, acquired through his position in the dairy industry, to the fruitgrowing market, and in 1924 was elected as president of the New Zealand Fruitgrower's Association. Other business ventures included Brash's role as director and chairman of a salt
-producing company at Lake Grassmere
.
He was honoured as a life member of the Federated Farmers of New Zealand.
trustee for 37 years and chairman of the trustees for 12 years. He chaired the Finance
Committee, acted as convener of the Youth
of the Church Committee in 1918, and in the 1940s was deeply involved in the Campaign for Christian Order. In 1944 he was only the second layman
to be elected moderator
of the General Assembly.
in 1920, and participated in the inaugural meeting of the World Council of Churches
in Amsterdam
in 1948.
to live with their elder daughter Pearl Bennett and her husband.
Thomas Brash died on January 19, 1957.
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...
's dairy industry and one of only four lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
moderator
Moderator of the General Assembly
The Moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a presbyterian or reformed church. Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator....
s of the General Assembly in the history of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is the main Presbyterian church in New Zealand.-History:The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was formed in October 1901 with the amalgamation of churches in Synod of Otago and Southland with those north of the Waitaki River.Presbyterians had by and...
. He was the father of Presbyterian and Ecumenical church leader Alan Brash
Alan Brash
Alan Anderson Brash, OBE was a leading minister of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, and of the worldwide ecumenical movement...
, and grandfather of Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the Reserve Bank
Reserve Bank of New Zealand
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is the central bank of New Zealand and is constituted under the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989. The Governor of the Reserve Bank is responsible for New Zealand's currency and operating monetary policy. The Bank's current Governor is Dr. Alan Bollard...
and Leader of the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
Don Brash
Don Brash
Donald "Don" Thomas Brash , a New Zealand politician, was Leader of the Opposition, parliamentary leader of the National Party from 28 October 2003 to 27 November 2006 and the leader of the ACT Party for 28th April 2011 - 26 November 2011...
.
Family & childhood
Thomas Cuddie Brash was born to William Brash and Jane Parkinson Brash (née Cuddie) at Saddle HillSaddle Hill, New Zealand
Saddle Hill is a prominent landmark overlooking the northeastern end of the Taieri Plains in Otago, New Zealand. Within the limits of Dunedin city, it is located 18 kilometres to the west of the city centre, between Mosgiel and Green Island, and is clearly visible from many of the city's southern...
, near Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, on November 29, 1874. His parents were descendants of Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
settlers who lived in Dunedin, and they bought their own farm of 400 acres (1.6 km²) at Mataura
Mataura
Mataura is a town in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand. Mataura has a meat processing plant, and until 2000 it was the site of a large pulp and paper mill....
Island, Southland
Southland Region
Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and is also a district within that region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura...
. Brash attended a small school near Yeovil, but had no formal secondary education.
Apprenticeship
At 15 he was employed by his uncles James and Richard Cuddie as a boilerman in their dairy factory at MosgielMosgiel
Mosgiel is an urban satellite of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand, fifteen kilometres west of the city's centre. Since the re-organisation of New Zealand local government in 1989 it has been inside the Dunedin City Council area, but was physically separate from the contiguous suburbs until...
. While in Mosgiel he joined the Taieri Ramblers’ Cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
Club and became well known for his successful cycle races.
Management
In 1895 he was appointed first assistant manager at the WyndhamWyndham
-Localities:*City of Wyndham, an LGA in Victoria, Australia*Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley, a LGA in Western Australia, Australia*Wyndham Hills, Pennsylvania, an opulent community in York County, Pennsylvania, United States*Wyndham, New South Wales...
dairy factory, where he learnt cheese-making. Dairy expert John Sawers
John Sawers
Sir Robert John Sawers, KCMG is a British diplomat and senior civil servant. He is the current Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service...
arranged for him a successful application for the position of manager of Totara Flat dairy factory, near Reefton. The four directors who met him off the train, astounded at his youth, advised him of the difficulties of managing a dairy factory on the West Coast
West Coast, New Zealand
The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is made up of three districts: Buller, Grey and Westland...
, and offered him the chance to withdraw. Brash, however, set to work improving the quality of the operations. Many had complained about the sour taste of the factory's butter, and Brash had his staff spend three months cleaning the factory with immediate success.
Christian conversion & church work
While at Totara Flat, Brash was rebuked by the local Presbyterian minister David Anderson for his lack of faithFaith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
, and his indulgence in drinking
Drinking
Drinking is the act of consuming water or a beverage through the mouth. Water is required for many of life’s physiological processes. Both excessive and inadequate water intake are associated with health problems.-Physiology:...
, swearing
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
and gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
. As a result he became a regular attendee and committed member of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand. He participated as an elder
Elder (Christianity)
An elder in Christianity is a person valued for his wisdom who accordingly holds a particular position of responsibility in a Christian group. In some Christian traditions an elder is a clergy person who usually serves a local church or churches and who has been ordained to a ministry of Word,...
and a Bible Class leader, and was twice appointed president of the Bible Class Union.
North Island work
Brash left Totara Flat in 1898 to become manager of the Maketawa dairy factory in Taranaki. In 1903 he became manager of the Waverley dairy factory, and later moved to the Kairanga dairy factory. He gained a reputation for his demands for meticulous cleanliness.He studied accountancy
Accountancy
Accountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
while in Waverley, and became a registered accountant in 1911.
Marriage & family
Brash married Margaret Henrietta Allen at Wyndham on 17 July 1901, with whom he had two daughters and two sons, the youngest of whom was Alan Brash.National Dairy Association
In 1910 Brash and his family moved to WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
where he joined the National Dairy Association of New Zealand as an assistant secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
. He was appointed the association's representative in London
London
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...
in 1919, and in 1921 returned to New Zealand to become secretary. He worked diligently to promote New Zealand dairy produce in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and helped to establish the New Zealand Dairy Produce Control Board (which became the New Zealand Dairy Board
New Zealand Dairy Board
From its formation in 1961 until 2001 the New Zealand Dairy Board was the statutory board in control of the export all New Zealand dairy products...
), for which he was appointed the inaugural secretary and chief executive for 16 years. He was also involved in the establishment of the Dairy Research Institute at Massey Agricultural College
Massey University
Massey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
.
Other ventures
In 1915 he purchased an orchardOrchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
in Nelson
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
, which his son Jim managed for many years. He applied his knowledge of export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
controls and marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
, acquired through his position in the dairy industry, to the fruitgrowing market, and in 1924 was elected as president of the New Zealand Fruitgrower's Association. Other business ventures included Brash's role as director and chairman of a salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
-producing company at Lake Grassmere
Lake Grassmere
Lake Grassmere is close to Cook Strait in the northeastern South Island of New Zealand.- Geography :Lake Grassmere, south of Blenheim and south of the mouth of the Awatere River, is a shallow lagoon protected from the open sea by a single barrier beach covered by sand dunes...
.
He was honoured as a life member of the Federated Farmers of New Zealand.
Presbyterian Church
While in Wellington Brash became acquainted with leading Presbyterian minister James Gibb. As he got older he shifted his focus from agriculture and business to ecclesiastical matters. He continued as an elder, and by the end of his life had served the church for 51 years in that role. He was a church propertyProperty
Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...
trustee for 37 years and chairman of the trustees for 12 years. He chaired the Finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
Committee, acted as convener of the Youth
Youth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
of the Church Committee in 1918, and in the 1940s was deeply involved in the Campaign for Christian Order. In 1944 he was only the second layman
Layman
A layperson or layman is a person who is not an expert in a given field of knowledge. The term originally meant a member of the laity, i.e. a non-clergymen, but over the centuries shifted in definition....
to be elected moderator
Moderator of the General Assembly
The Moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a presbyterian or reformed church. Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator....
of the General Assembly.
Ecumenical movement
Brash was a keen supporter of the ecumenical movement, laying the foundations for the more prominent role of his son Alan. He attended the meeting of churches adhering to the Presbyterian system at LausanneLausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
in 1920, and participated in the inaugural meeting of the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1948.
Final years
Brash and his wife spent the last years of their lives troubled by ill health, and moved to ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
to live with their elder daughter Pearl Bennett and her husband.
Thomas Brash died on January 19, 1957.