Dimes From A Governor For Christchurch Boy

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29824, 17 May 1962, Page 10

Dimes From A Governor For Christchurch Boy

Two shiny dimes, just received by Mr and Mrs C. Brown, of 21 Cholmondeley avenue, for their greatgrandson, David Joseph, came originally from the Governor of the State of New York, Mr Nelson Rockefeller. They were given by him to Mr David C. Brown, a brother of Mr C. Brown, who lives in Albany, New York.

At the end of March this year Mr David Brown, known as “Albany's senior servitor,” was on duty at a banquet where Mr Rockefeller was a guest. The story of the dimes is given in the following letter Mr David Brown received from Mr Rockefeller on April 2:— “David C. Brown, Albany senior servitor, whose efficient and courteous service I have appreciated at numerous functions in Albany, has related to me that he lost a valuable token, a shiny new dime, given to him as a gratuity in 1917 by my grandfather, John D. Rockefeller sen., as was his custom.

“In 1917 David was connected with a hotel in Springfield. Massachusetts. He was assigned to my grandfather's party which

included Thomas A. Edison, Thomas Burroughs the famous botanist, Henry Ford. Harvey Firestone and Edsel Ford.

“I wish to replace David’s lost dime with a new one of my own to send to his favourite great-grand-nephew in New Zealand, his native country." Back Once

Mr David Brown has been back in New Zealand once since he left 65 years ago. In the interval he has been to nearly every country and. now 80 years of age, lives in retirement in Albany, New York. He goes out by special request only. Bom in Christchurch, he went to school in Kaiapoi and left there when he was about 15 to go to sea. He eventually became chief stewards on various ships. On one trip he waited on

the Duke of Windsor, then Prince of Wales, who asked to have Mr Brown wait on him throughout his tour of Canada. Mr Brown has been on the staff of such famous hotels as the Chateau Lake Louise and the Hotel Frontenac. Quebec, where he waited on President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Sir Winston Churchill when they were there for the Quebec conference. In Mr David Brown’s home in Hudson avenue. Albany, are autographed photographs of many notable persons, including members of Royal families and famous Americans. He has had a varied life. A good pianist, he was pianist at parties by film and stage personalities. He visited Australia as pianist to Lita Grey, who was formerly married to Charlie Chaplin. In 1912 he was in London seeking a contract for a concession on Coney Island. He had booked a passage on the Titanic but had to cancel it the day before the ship sailed because his business plans were altered.