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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts]

Councillor John Brown

Councillor John Brown was elected a member of the Blenheim Borough Council in August, 1905. He was born on the 30th of October, 1854, in Worcestershire, England, and was educated at Cowley school, Oxford, and Cathedral King's school, Worcester, and afterwards served an apprenticeship to the ironmongery trade. In the year 1876, Mr. Brown came to New Zealand, landed in Lyttelton, and spent the two following years at station work in Canterbury. He joined the Armed Constabulary in Wellington, in 1878, and was sent to Taranaki. Two years later, Mr. Brown went to the Wakamarina diggings, where he prospected with some success for about five years. In 1885, he removed to Blenheim as book-keeper to the late Mr. E. Bythell, builder and contractor, with whom he learned the trade of carpenter and joiner; and, except for the years 1892 and 1893, when he went goldmining in Australia, he has remained at Blenheim ever since. On the death of Mr. Bythell, in 1894, Mr. Brown was appointed manager of the business. He was a member of the Blenheim Borough School committee, and of the local volunteer fire brigade for several years, and for a long time a member, and afterwards a lieutenant, of the Blenheim City Rifles, and a trustee of the local cemetery. Mr. Brown married Mrs Bythell, widow of the late Mr. Elijah Bythell, in August, 1896.