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About Mary Ann Brown
Mary Ann Hodgson was born on Waiheke Island on 18th May 1851 to Joseph Hodgson & Mary Prouse. The Hodgson’s were a well known pioneering family on Waiheke. She married Henry John Brown, also from a pioneering Waiheke family, on 4th September 1869
Source: "Waiheke Pioneers" by Dixie Day. Henry’s father had died of a stroke five years earlier, leaving his farm to his two sons, Henry and William. As neither of them could read, the splitting of the block of land was explained to them in the presence of Phillip Francis JP, a Waiheke sheep farmer. Henry received the western portion (leading up to what is now Burrell Road, Surfdale) and William the eastern, each of 134 acres. These two brothers married two Waiheke sisters: the Hodgson girls who had lived their lives in Omiha. Henry married Mary Ann Hodgson and Sarah Hodgson became the bride of William Brown about eight years later. Henry and Mary had a large family of 11 children, eight of whom were born on Waiheke although only two are mentioned in Coromandel baptismal records: Albert born December 23 1884 and George on June 2 1887. The family moved to Rornhara (Pie Melon Bay), Waiheke aboard the Henry on 8th August 1883. They were apparently settled near there. In 1884 Reverend Gould mentions calling in on them, although long time residents have no memory of a house in the bay. However there was a three-roomed cottage up the hill in the sheltered bush that is now a Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society reserve. Though Henry could not read, his wife could and she taught her children. It is understood that the ‘Henry’ was Henry Brown's cutter and worked the island shores loading shingle. At some stage before October 1913 they left Waiheke and moved to Portland Street, Parnell. Henry passed away at this residence at age 72 on 27th October 1913. He was buried at Purewa Cemetery, Meadowbank, Auckland.
Children of Henry & Mary Ann: Fanny, Henry, Ethel Mary, William Thomas, Charles, Lily May, Alfred, George Victor, Bertha, John Albert, Hazel May, Ruby Linda and Pearl Rita.
The story below is about Henry and Fanny, two of Henry and Mary Ann’s children.
Oamaru Mail, Volume XVIII, Issue 5683, 11 July 1893, Page 3 A distressing story in connection with the measles epidemic is told by the Auckland Herald in connection with a family named Brown. The first victim attacked was a robust young woman 22 years of age, named Fanny Brown, who had to leave her situation as domestic servant. The attack proved severe, and in temporary delirium she got out of bed, caught a chill, and the measles striking inwardly on the heart, she died in half an hour. This was one of the chief bread-winners of a large family The eldest brother, Henry, who was employed on board a cutter, caught the disease while absent from home, and was suffering from measles for four days before he reached Auckland. For want of care, warmth, and attention, the disease developed into bronchitis and pleurisy, from the effects of which he expired, and he was buried alongside his sister. A third member of the same family, a girl of 17 years of age, is now in a critical condition, and six other younger children are now down with the measles, two being still confined to bed. The grandmother, an old lady 73 years of age, had also come to Auckland, and she has been attacked, and her condition is critical. During all this time the mother of the children, unaided except by the neighbours, has had to attend to the wants of her numerous patients, Her husband is a bushman, residing at Waiheke, but as he is deaf and short sighted he can get very little employment, and the family were mainly dependent for their living on the boy and girl who are now dead. It is needless to say that their little means have all been swallowed up in the expenses of sickness and death. In the article above, the grandparents mentioned are Mary Ann’s Father and Mother, Joseph & Mary Hodgson. Mary Hodgson actually died 2 days after this article was written on 13th July 1893.
In 1946, the electoral role lists Mary Ann as living at 1 Cracroft St, Parnel which was her daughter Pearl Brown’s house. Family memory: Pearl never married and at some stage her sister Ethel moved in as well and Pearl looked after them both. Mary Ann’s great granddaughter, Coral Bellette, remembers visiting Aunty Pearl Brown and her grandmother Ethel at Cracroft St on a number of occasions when she was a child. At one time she remembers that she and her sister Maureen were both given a half crown by one of them but she threw hers away, not realising it’s value.
Auckland Star 18 May 1944: “Ninety Three Years Old born at Omiha, Rocky Bay, Waiheke Island. On May 18, 1851, Mrs Mary Ann Brown, of 1 Cracroft Street, Parnell, celebrates her 93rd birthday to-day. Her father, Joseph Hodgson, conducted the first butcher’s shop in Auckland over 100 years ago, this being situated in Queen Street. Mrs Brown had a family of eleven, eight being born on the island, and she herself is the last surviving member of a large family, her sister, Sarah Brown, known on the island as “Granny Brown,” dying some three years ago. These sisters had married two brothers, Mrs Mary Brown being widowed 31 years ago. There are 21 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren”.
Mary Ann’s younger sister Sarah: Auckland Star 23 Jun 1941 Obituary – “Mrs Sarah Brown One of the oldest residents of Waiheke Island, Mrs Sarah Brown, died on Saturday at her home at Surfdale, where she had lived for the past 63 years. Mrs Brown, who was born at Rocky Bay, Waiheke, in 1858, was able to tend her garden and milk cows until the day of her death. The first Waiheke school was held at her home 48 years ago but it later became a travelling school which was held three days a week at Surfdale and three days at Cowes. Mrs Brown’s husband died in 1917. She is survived by five sons. There are 19 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren.”
Mary Ann passed away on 22nd August 1950 and was buried at Purewa Cemetery with her late husband.
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Mary Ann Brown's Timeline
| 1851 |
May 18, 1851
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Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand
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| 1876 |
1876
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| 1879 |
1879
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Waiheke Island, Auckland
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| 1887 |
June 2, 1887
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Auckland
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| 1893 |
April 20, 1893
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Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand
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| 1896 |
June 18, 1896
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Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand
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| 1950 |
August 22, 1950
Age 99
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