Benjamin Middlebrook

Benjamin Middlebrook is the eldest son. He was named after his Maternal Grandfather Benjamin Farrer. Ben was 12 when the family arrived in New Zealand. Possibly the 3 month voyage on the Shalimar awakened a desire to spend more time at sea, for the first record we have of him after his arrival in New Zealand is as 3rd Engineer aboard the "Phoebe" a coastal trader that plied the waters between Sydney Australia and the Manukau Harbour in Auckland. After several trips back and forth Ben decided to remain in Australia and for many years was the engineer aboard the "EskI" which sailed between Hobart and Sydney in the late 19th century. Benjamin returned to New Zealand to marry Alice Lane in 1875 and took his new wife back to Australia to raise their family. They had 3 children , Sara, Mary Ellen and John Farrer Middlebrook ( known as Jack). Contact was retained with family back in New Zealand, Mary Ellen apparently sometimes visiting her Uncle John Middlebrook in New Zealand. Like his brothers, Benjamin was an active Mason, being a member of the Sir Colin Cambpell Lodge. Benjamin died 0n 11 August 1928 aged 78. Source: Lauren Bavin via https://laurenbavin.wixsite.com/middlebrookfamily/benjamin