WEST COAST PINEER.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15024, 19 March 1919, Page 1 (Supplement)

WEST COAST PINEER.

DEATH OF MR. THOMAS BROWX.

EARLY NELSON HISTORY RECALLED.

(From "The Colonist," Feb. 26th.) itA? death of Mr- Thomas Brown, at Wellington, one of the pioneers of the. West Coast, recalls an interesting patm in the history, of early Nelson. Deceased, who was born at Yarmouth in 1833, served his apprenticeship as ?v shipwright, after which lie came out to Australia, where he had experience of the gold diggings with varying success. He was married in 1858, and in, August of that year took passage in the barque General Wolfe .(Cantain Tanner) for Nelson, arriving on' September 7th, where he again settled dows to the fascinating art of boat and shir> building. There was abundance of work in this direction, and he soon discovered the conditions of lif© around sunny Nelson to be very pleasant and healthy, until the persuasive powers of a friend induced him to become "mine host" of the London Tavern, Haven road. He found the conditions of running a pub not all that could be desired, and after twelve months of it, left Nelson in August, 1865, hy the paddle boat "Nelson" (Captain John Walker), reaching Greymouth a few days later. The "Nelson," on leaving Greymouth, was stranded on the North Beach, and after resting there for about twelve months, was relaunched. During her enforced spell on the North B_each the vessel was bought by the late Messrs Kilgour and Dodd, who subsequently sold her to Simons and Edwards, of Nelson (now known as the Anchor Company) ; about ten years later the Nelson was lost at West Wanganui. In the latter part of 1865 the well-known little steamer "Murray" (at that time a topsail schooner) from Melbourne, went -ashore-on the North ■Beach while sailing in, and, in company with Tom Freeman, Mr. Brown seeiired the contract for launching her, which was successfully accomplished; shortly afteryards the vessel was again converted, into a steamer, the shipwrighting portio2T of the work being carried out by Thos Brown and Paul Coffey (now of Wellington), the engines' having been, taken out of another vessel stranded on the beach, and which eventually became a total wreck. From this time Coffey and Brown worked together for about eighteen months, boat building, etc., and were kept constantly going, a good deal of the work being in connection with the barges (carrying about 25 tons), which were used for conveying coal from the Brunner mine. During 1885 the railway and Brunner bridge were completed, but considerable delay was occasioned through the collapse of one end of the bridge. The boat-building - business falling off considerably, the deceased entered into the coal-dealing tnkle. and wag the first to introduce the delivery of coal with horse and cart. While residing in Nelson the deceased saw the notorious Bully Hayets arrested by Mr William Akersten, from the schooner Black Diamond in Croixelles Harbour, and was present during the trial for stealing the vessel of which he was in possession. While out on bail Hayes made a most sensational escape. He was on the Nelson wharf as the steamer Alhambra was leaving, and just as the vessel was clearing the end of the wharf he made a "pier-head jump/ and immediately upon recovering his equilibrium turned round and raised his belltopper to the crowd, most of whom, being ignorant of- the fellow's black record, gave him a cheer as_ the vessel steamed away. Aboutthis period Hayes visited Hokitika in charge of a schooner loaded with' oranges, etc., from some of the Islands; the Customs authorities had suspiciony •that the vessel bad a large amount of ammunition on board, and a search was made with the aid of candles and lanterns, during which performance the whole crew : adjourned" to one of tho pubs (not the nearest), as they con-side-red the vessel a grod place'to bo out of for a while. The search, however, was unsuccessful, and shortly afterwards the vessel '.left Hokitika, but for about a week following was occasionally sighted in the offing, and it was surmised that Bully was waiting for some unsuspecting skipper to como along with a better vessel than his own. Hayes was supposed to have been shot not long afterwards by the mate of the vessel. Deceased was also in Nelson during the sensational days of the BurgeesKelly gang's depredations, and was present in court during the whole of their trial. \ In April, 1901, in company with 1 Frank Sweetman (senior) —also a native - of Cowes—deceased oaid a visit to Ensr--1 land.