The Browns of Australia

William Brown was thought to have been, with his brother, Glasgow agent for Nobel's Explosives (used in mines and for blasting, etc.). He emigrated to Australia at the turn of the century following a tragic accident at his home, caused by explosives that he had brought home, and in which his first wife (and, it is thought, her sister) was killed. His future wife, Susie Elizabeth Holton, went to Australia and they were married in Sydney. He eventually became manager for Nobel's in Australia and New Zealand and when in the 1920s, ICI took over Nobel's he became general manager for ICI (Australia and New Zealand). He still held that post when he retired. He died in 1948, aged 79.

Children of William Brown and Susie Elizabeth Holton :-

Peter Frederick Russell Brown - known as Russell, qualified in Medicine at Melbourne University and later did a post-graduate course in dermatology in London. He first practised as a GP and later as a skin specialist and served as an Army medical officer in New Guinea during World War 2. He retired about 1972 and died in 1995.

Percy William Holton Brown - entered the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay, NSW just before the end of World War 1 at the age of 13. The Navy was cutting down in the early 20s so his father took the opportunity offered to withdraw him and he went to sea as an apprentice with the Federal Steam Navigation Company. He qualified and was taken on by the Broken Hill Proprietary Company, who owned several ships, mainly for carrying iron ore and their own products. He served with them until near the end of World War 2, latterly as their senior captain and was commodore convoy on a number of occasions during the War. BHP lost half of their fleet to Japanese submarines, but Percy fortunately survived to join the Sydney Harbour Pilot Service just before the War ended. In 1959 he suffered a coronary and had to take a shore appointment as Assistant Harbourmaster at Port Kembla. Percy was married in the late 20s and died in 1975.

Winifred Holton Brown - served as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse in Palestine during World War 2 at one of the Australian General Hospitals, and later in Australia when Australian forces were withdrawn from the Middle East to resist a possible Japanese invasion. She later qualified as an orthoptist and worked at the Melbourne Eye and Ear Hospital. Winifred died in 1990.

Jean Johnstone Brown - graduated as a BA from Melbourne University, then became a commercial artist and finally a sort of senior draughtswoman with a firm of consultant engineers in Melbourne. She died in 1979 soon after retiring.

Ian Ronald Corbyn Brown - joined the Shipping Department, of Dalgety & Co. Ltd., Melbourne and went to the Middle East with 6th Australian Division, 2nd Australian Imperial Force, when war broke out. He served there from 1940 until 1942 with a signals unit and in staff intelligence appointments. He was brought back to Australia when the Japanese entered the War, having taken part in the early Cyrenaican, Greek and Cretan campaigns, and spent the rest of the War in and out of New Guinea. Having returned to Dalgety's, he was in charge of their Passenger Department, when Australia decided to establish a regular army. Ian accepted an appointment at his wartime rank, which was Major and his first job was as Australian representative of the Joint Intelligence Bureau in Singapore, where he met and married his wife. Having become sick in Singapore, he was retired from the Army on medical grounds, however, the Joint Intelligence Bureau, which was part of the Australian Department of Defence, offered him a civilian appointment. He stayed there until retiring in 1975, in the meantime having had appointments as representative in Washington, D.C. - 1956 to 1959 and London 1966 to 1970.

Based on notes from Ian Brown to P.G. Holton, May 1982.