The Browns and Corbetts

Introduction

Having obtained information on Joseph Corbett Brown from a lot of different places I decided to collect the many bits and pieces together. My original intention was just to tidy up my file but having typed it up I thought it would be worth producing a few tidy copies in the hope that those who know more about Joe can correct my mistakes, fill in gaps and add further stories or information about him.

This has since been extended to cover his family, the Browns and the Corbetts. The extended history is written relating people back to Joe as it makes it easier to understand who is being written about.

If I had been handed this story just a few years ago I would have wondered 'Who was Joe Brown?'. For those in the family who are in the same situation I think the best introduction is to say that he was the first of his family to go to New Zealand and, though he returned to England, most of his descendants now live in New Zealand. His ancestors had lived in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire where some of the family still live.

Many people have given me information on the family - Some have sent me stories and memoirs that contain a lot of details of the family history while others have made comments or given smaller bits of information which have brought the story to life; sometimes a small piece of information has been the key that has caused bits I already had to fit together or has opened up new areas of information. I am very grateful for all the information I have received and to those who have made corrections or suggested improvements to previous copies of this story.

Some of the sources are listed on the last page and the numbers in the text refer to that list. I have copies of most of the sources referred to and some contain more information than I have included in this story - I would be very happy to show them to anyone who is interested.

The spelling of names often varied in the past and I have generally used the spellings that were in the original sources so they sometimes vary from current usage - some (like Becketts / Beckets Farm) vary between documents of the same period and I have copied this inconsistency. (Some, however, will probably be my typing errors).

The frequent re-use of the same names in the past causes some problems in the story but the person referred to should be clear in the context and by referring to the family trees. As there are two John Hicks Browns, I have normally referred to the father as John or John Hicks and the son as Hicks because that is what we have known him as in the family though he seems to have called himself John.

I hope that this story will encourage more memories from those who know much of it already and will be of interest for those to whom it is new.

Historical Notes on The Leigh, Gloucestershire

The story starts at Leigh or The Leigh (pronounced lie) in Gloucestershire which is 5 miles (8 kms) north west of Cheltenham, 6 miles (10 kms) north east of Gloucester and 4 miles (6 kms) south of Tewkesbury. The name refers to both the parish and a small village in the parish; this parish also contains the villages of Coombe Hill and Evington.

The small parish of Leigh is mainly flat and low lying land between the River Severn and the Tewkesbury to Gloucester road one and a half miles (2 kms) away, which runs along a low ridge roughly parallel to the river. The parish stops short of the river but is close enough to be affected by flooding.

All the buildings are on the higher ground. Coombe Hill is on the road, at a point where the road to Cheltenham branches off, but the village of Leigh is a collection of scattered farms and houses on a couple of small roads leading down from the main road to the edge of the land that is liable to flooding from the river.

In the past Leigh village was only the few scattered houses near the church and Evington, half a mile away (1 km), was a separate larger village by the common land and the main road. The road was a turnpike from 1764 to 1872 which meant that it was maintained by the parish and people had to pay tolls to use it. In the late 1700's and early 1800's the course of the road was straightened and no longer went through Evington.

There is a small canal, now unused and probably unknown by most people, that runs from the River Severn to Coombe Hill. This was built between 1792 and 1795 so that Cheltenham's goods could get across the marshy ground.

In 1815 the common ground was inclosed and distributed to residents of the parish.

These changes led to the decline of Evington so that it is now part of Leigh village and the name only survives in a few house names.

Before the canal was built there may not have been much more than a signpost on the road at Coombe Hill but in the late 1700's some small brick cottages were built at the Coombe Hill Canal wharf and during the 1800's most of the new building in the parish was along the main road, particularly at Coombe Hill. The canal traffic declined when a tramway was opened between Gloucester and Cheltenham (before 1825?) but continued in use until 1876. The population of the parish grew steadily in the first half of the 1800's to a peak of 470 in 1851 from which it declined rapidly until 1881 and then more slowly; by 1931 it was 281.

In 1810 a private house was registered for worship by Methodists and another in 1819 was also probably in use by Methodists. Then, in 1820, a Methodist chapel was built at Coombe Hill and in 1887 was replaced by a new chapel. (In 1826, 1837, 1838 and 1841 other non-conformist groups were known to have been using private houses in the parish for worship).

March 1997

(Note : I have produced various versions of this booklet and the page numbering is sometimes different so, if you are referring to parts of the booklet you should use the section headings for reference instead of page numbers).

Andy Roberts or via the Brown or via the Roberts

Coombe Cottage family at family at

9 Connaught Road Pamington Farm Upper Barn,

New Malden Tewkesbury Hoarwithy,

Surrey Gloucestershire Herefordshire

KT3 3PZ

Standard Abbreviations used in Family Trees etc

b = born

x = christened

m = married

d = died

i = interred

MI = Monumental Inscription - Usually a gravestone ~ = approximate / about

c = circa / approximate about

}= = Pedigree line - Direct ancestors of Joe's

1855/6 = Exact date unknown but thought to be in years 1855 or 1856

Joseph Corbett Brown

The Early Years

Joseph was born on the 10th of January 1860 at Cleeve House, a farm at Pendock, Worcestershire (close to the Gloucestershire border) ^[1]. I have passed the house many times without knowing its significance, it now being next to the M50 motorway. His parents, John Hicks Brown senior, then aged 30, and Emma Corbett, 31, were married just over a year earlier on Monday the 20th of December 1858 (not a date many couples would choose nowadays). The wedding was at The Leigh Anglican parish church despite them both being committed Methodists. ^[2]

John Hicks Brown = Emma Corbett

|

born 16 Jan 1831 | born 22 Aug 1829

christened 20 Mar 1831 | christened 27 Sep 1829

|

married 20|Dec 1858

at The Leigh,|Gloucestershire

|

|

Joseph Corbett Brown

born 10 Jan 1860

at Pendock, Worcestershire

I have not been able to find out much about the Corbetts but Emma's mother was born at Castle Morton which is not far from Pendock so it is possible that they found this farm through Emma's relatives if they still lived in the area. John Hicks farmed 80 acres there - a reasonable sized farm to start with - his neighbour had just 65 acres and his father then had 120 acres at Leigh. ^[3,4]

It was normal at this time (as it had been for a long time) for single farm workers to live in the farm house. (Those familiar with Thomas Hardy will remember the romance between Tess and Angel Clare while living in the farmer's house which is a major part of Tess of the Durbervilles). In the 1861 census John and Emma had three lodgers - Job Jeynes, a carter aged 17 from Eckington 6 miles north of Tewkesbury, Charles Daynter aged 15 the carter's boy who was born at Cheltenham; and Sarah Potter from Gutherington 5 miles east of Tewkesbury, a house servant aged 17. (A carter would be in charge of the farm carts and the horses to pull them and, being a more skilled worker, would often earn about a shilling a week more than the general farm workers who might earn 6 or 7 shillings a week (I don't know if this would apply to a 17 year old though). These farm workers may have been hired for a year at the hiring fairs that were held in the spring (in the pastoral areas) or the autumn (in arable areas) and might only have been paid when they completed the year's service). There would presumably have been other, married, workers who lived locally.

John and Emma had one more child at Pendock, Mary Elizabeth, born in 1861 ^[5]. In 1864 or 1865 they moved back to their home area, Coombe Hill ^[7], where John Hicks Jnr was born in 1865. Here the family grew and by 1871 the family was complete and settled at Beckets Farm - Joseph now 11, Mary, 9, John Hicks Jnr, 6, and Francis William, 4, were all attending school; George Ernest, the latest and last addition to the family, was a few months old. (This is based on the 1871 census - they could possibly have had other children who died young but I have no evidence that they did). ^[5]

Beckets Farm was 90 acres and John employed 1 man plus, I think, a local boy, Joseph Stanton, 15, who is described as a 'Farm Servant Indoor' (I presume this means he lived in the farm house, not that he only worked indoors). Though a local boy he still lived in the farm house along with two house maids - Ellen and Margrett Yeates aged 15 and 13 respectively.

John Hicks Brown = Emma Corbett

|

/------------v------------+----------v----------\

Joseph Mary John Frank Ernest

Corbett Elizabeth Hicks William George

b 10 Jan b 1860/1 b 1865 b 28 Nov b 30 Jul

1860 1866 1870

Pendock, Pendock Leigh, Leigh Leigh

Worcs Glos

Joe grew up in Coombe Hill surrounded by a large family. Both Corbett grandparents were in The Leigh and Grandma Elizabeth Brown lived with her widowed daughter, Henrietta Weston, at Sheephouse Farm, Coombe Hill, close to Beckets Farm, for some of this period. (She wasn't in The Leigh or Coombe Hill for the 1871 census and I haven't been able to find where she had gone but she had returned by 1881) ^[5,6]. His grandfather, Joseph Brown, who he presumably had been named after, had died when Joe was 3. ^[32]

I know of 6 uncles and aunts that lived in the immediate area with at least 10 cousins and it is likely that some of the 11 other surviving brothers and sisters of John and Emma were living in the area with their own families.

As well as relations there would also have been numerous other friends at the Coombe Hill Methodist Church which they attended and where the family must have made up a significant part of the membership both in numbers and commitment. (When the Chapel was to be rebuilt in the 1880's, of the 3 laymen on the 'committee', the treasurer was John Hicks and another was Charles Corbett ^[15]). According to his obituary it was here that Joe 'obtained his zeal for the Gospel and all good works' and his brother John's obituary says John 'made the Great Decision in early life and before he was thirteen his voice was heard in public prayer'... 'His parents were Wesleyans, held in high repute, and there children were trained in a home where the atmosphere was fragrant with Scriptural holiness, and bracing with the vigour of old-time Methodism'. ^[36] (This sounds rather severe nowadays but must have had a more positive meaning when it was written). Emma's obituary says - 'Both Mr and Mrs Brown [John and Emma] joined heartily in church work, and have been among the staunchest supporters of the cause.' ^[7]

Joseph Brown = Elizabeth

|

christened 25 Mar 1799 | born 18 Sep 1796

|

died 20 May 1863, aged 64 | died 12 Dec 1882 aged 86

at The Leigh | at The Leigh, Near Gloucester

|

/-------v------------------v-------^-----------------v--------------\

| | | | |

| | | /------^------\ |

Sarah Joseph Hannah Elizabeth Job | John Hicks | Henrietta David

Ann =CHANDLER = Weston | Brown Snr | = Weston

b 1825 b 29 Sep| b1826/7 b 9 Mar | b1827/8 | born | b 7 Jan | b 1829/33

? = 1826 | Hartbury 1828 | | 16 Jan 1831 | 1833 |

Richard | | d 1865 |=Emma Corbett| | d 11 Oct 1875,

Brooke | | age 37 \-------------/ | age 42

| /------------/ | | buried Leigh

?| | /------v------v-------v--^----v-------\ /-------v--------v-^-------\

| | | | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | |

William Joseph Lot Miriam William Lydia Silas Sarah Joseph William Hannah

Brown Weston John Brown Weston Ann John Court Elizabeth

Weston Weston Weston Weston Weston Weston

b 1864 1854/5 b1854 1856/7 b1858 b 1859 b1862/3 1857/8 1859/60 b 1860 b 1863

20 Feb 2 Mar 2 Oct 15 Oct 24 Jun

Leigh Leigh Leigh Leigh Leigh Leigh Leigh Leigh Leigh Leigh

d 1855 d Mar died 1876 died 1879

30 Aug 1858 5 Apr 4 Oct

age 10 age 10 age 16 age 16

months days

The Browns of The Leigh and Coombe Hill around 1880

John Corbett = Mary Hodges

|

born 3 Feb 1798 | born 1805/7

|

d 10 Oct 1881, age 85, buried Leigh | d 7 Dec 1875, age 68, Leigh, Gloucestershire

|

/-------v------v-----v-------v-------v---^---v------v------v-------v-------v--------\

| | | | | | | | | | | |

| /---'--\ | | | | | | | | | |

Charles| Emma | James George Mary Martha Louisa John Joseph Sarah Elizabeth Fanny

| | Ann Clara Susanna

b 1827 |b 1829| x1831 b 1833 b1835/7 b1837/9 b1838/9 b1841 b1843/4 b1845/6 b1849/50 b 1851

3 Sep |22 Aug|22 Oct 23 Aug ›3w

= | = |d1846/7 = = = = d1852/3 =

Judith| John |age 15 Emma Henry Frederick age 7 1.

b 1826| Hicks| King Palfrey Cullis buried Palfrey

4 Feb | Brown| Leigh 2.Fredk

| \---v--/ Picking

| /---^---\

George | Joseph|

Corbett|Corbett| b means born

b1854/5| Brown | x means christened

\-------/ d means died

+ other children

The Corbetts

Joe's Journey to New Zealand

In late 1878 or early 1879 another family moved into the area for a short while - they stayed for less than a year but that stay resulted in changes that had far reaching consequences. Mr and Mrs Stokes moved to a farm at a hamlet called The Barrow with nine children. The Barrow is some distance from Coombe Hill by road but there is a short path across the fields and the Stokes land adjoined the land of Beckets farm. After 9 or 10 months at the Barrow they emigrated to New Zealand lured by reports of good prospects filtering back. Joe Brown, now 19, and his cousin, George Corbett, went with them having become friendly with the family and, in particular, with Thomas Stokes (Bert Stokes' father), who was a similar age to them. ^[9]

They met their ship at Gravesend; she had 'left the London Docks on the afternoon of the 5th September, was towed to Greenhithe for the adjustment of her compasses, left again the next morning and proceeded to Gravesend; passed the Board of Trade survey and embarked part of her passengers' ^[35]

Thomas' diary for the 6th of September 1879 says that they showed 'Mr B and B' over the ship, which was an impressive 3 masted sailing ship. It is not certain who Mr B and B were - it could be Mr Beeby, Mrs Stokes father, and John Brown, Joe's father. When the visitors left the ship on a small boat, Joe and Thomas 'watched them to shore where they were lost from sight amidst the waving pocket handkerchiefs'^[10]. Though there were many people emigrating to New Zealand at this time it must still have been a big event for the family - the journey would take three months so letters in the future would be similarly slow and a letter sent out may not receive a reply for six months.

Charles Dickens gives a vivid description of a family leaving on a similar emigration in "David Copperfield" some of which I have copied below. The story brings home the mixed feelings of sadness at parting with friends left behind and excitement about the prospects ahead. It describes a similar arrangement of visitors taking boats out to the ship that was anchored off Gravesend (the baggage having been loaded a day or two before), with friends looking over the ship. Though based in the mid 1800's, and the Wanganui that Joe sailed on being a new ship, I suspect much of the description would apply fairly well. ^[11]

'I went down [to their lodgings] again next morning to see that they were away. They had departed, in a boat, as early as five o'clock...

'In the afternoon of the next day ... I went down to Gravesend. We found the ship in the river, surrounded by a crowd of boats; a favourable wind blowing; the signal for sailing at her mast-head. I hired a boat directly, and we put off to her; and getting through the little vortex of confusion of which she was the centre we went on board.'

'Mr Peggotty took us down between decks...'

'It was such a strange scene to me, and so confined and dark that, at first, I could make out hardly anything; but, by degrees, it cleared, as my eyes became more accustomed to the gloom, and I seemed to stand in a picture by Ostade. Among the great beams, bulks, and ringbolts of the ship, and the emigrant berths, and chests,and bundles, and barrels, and heaps of miscellaneous baggage - lighted up, here and there, by dangling lanterns; and elsewhere by yellow daylight straying down a windsail or a hatchway - were crowded groups of people, making new friendships, taking leave of one another, talking, laughing, crying, eating, drinking; some already settled down into the posession of their few feet of space, with their little households arranged, and tiny children established on stools, or in dwarf elbow chairs; others, despairing of a resting-place, and wandering disconsolately. From babies who had but a week or two of life behind them, to crooked old men and women who seemed to have but a week or two of life before them; and from ploughmen bodily carrying out soil of England on their boots, to smiths taking away samples of its soot and smoke upon their skins; every age and occupation appeared to be crammed into the narrow compass of 'tween decks ...'

'... the time was come when all visitors were being warned to leave the ship; ... my nurse was crying on a chest beside me; Mrs Gummidge assisted by some younger stooping woman in black was busily arranging Mr Peggotty's goods... I wrung his hand...

'The ship was clearing fast of strangers ... I embraced him, took my weeping nurse upon my arm, and hurried away. On deck I took leave of poor Mrs Micawber. She was looking distractedly about for her family...

'We went over the side into our boat, and lay at a distance to see the ship wafted on her course ... A sight at once so beautiful, so mournful, and so hopeful, as the glorious ship, lying still on the flushed water, with all the life on board her crowded at the bulwarks... Silent for a moment. As the sails rose to the wind, and the ship began to move, there broke from all the boats three resounding cheers, which those on board took up, and echoed back, and which were echoed and re-echoed. My heart burst out when I heard the sound, and beheld the waving of hats and handkerchiefs.'

On the day they boarded the ship was towed as far as Sheerness, Kent, less than 20 mile (30 km) and they anchored there. The tug continued to tow them at the start of the next day, the 7th, and they landed the pilot at Deal (?), at the eastern end of Kent, at noon. During that day a Sunday service was conducted by an Anglican clergyman with a Wesleyan preaching the sermon. In the evening there was some music where, Tom Stokes says, 'Mother and Joe [Brown] playing the Harmonium'.

The first two days they made fairly good progress with a light wind and they reached Portland Bill on the evening of the 8th where the weather turned rough and the ship had to run into Portland Harbour. Tom records that 'Joe lay in bed moaning, father, mother and all of them taken sick, no one at breakfast but me. I had to be chief waiter for the sick.' ^[9,10,35]

The next day the ship proceeded and reached Falmouth on the morning of the 11th where it stopped for a couple of days to pick up provisions and more passengers (making 254 in all) and then left on the 12th passing the Lizard on the 13th and there saying goodbye to England.

The diary talks about the services - there were 2 or 3 Methodist ministers travelling who preached and Tom mentions many times that the Reverend Best 'preached a capital sermon'. Generally, on the trip, Joe seems to have led the singing and acted as deputy organist to Mrs Stokes. Joe shared a cabin with George Corbett and Tom and each morning at 9 they shared morning prayer and praise, taking it in turns to lead. ^[12]

There was no call at any port on the journey and they saw land only once. Generally the weather for the voyage was very good but one exception was a storm in the Australian Bight where 'seas were coming over the deck proper. Sidney [Stokes] and four or five others were on deck when a wave hit them. They were drenched and rolled about the deck in the water. We had water down the hatchways and into the cabins'. Despite this no one seemed to get hurt and Tom appeared to find it more amusing than worrying. ^[10]

The ship reached New Zealand in good condition and the passengers seemed to fare well for meals (at least in terms of what could be expected on such a voyage then) ^[9] but their first act on landing was to gorge themselves on a good roast which cost them 1/- each. They arrived at Port Chalmers on the 6th of December exactly 3 months after leaving Gravesend which was its second fastest outward journey (though it wasn't a particularly fast ship). ^[12]

The Otago Daily Times of the 8th December, 1879, provided a eulogy ... 'The ship is eminently calculated for passengers, her lofty 'tween decks and perfect system of ventilation being all that could be desired. The ship comes into port in first rate condition, while the parts allotted to the passengers are perfect models of cleanliness. Indeed we have never seen a vessel arrive in such a state of cleanliness and comfort as did the Wanganui'. ^[35]

Tom Stokes describes their first impressions of New Zealand as of a place that looked strange to them but 'the scenery is lovely, the bush and the grass look splendid'. They didn't disembark until the 8th, after the doctor and customs officials had checked them. They were met by a Mr Preen (?) who looked after them and took the thirteen of them home for tea. If it is Preen, though it is difficult to read, it is a fairly uncommon surname but one which occurs frequently in The Leigh area so I guess that they could have known him or his relatives at home.

I would imagine that culturally they found New Zealand similar to home since it was a British colony but with some differences because there was a strong bias towards Scottish immigrants and some of the social structure would be less strict than in the Victorian England they had left behind.

Joe settled in Dunedin, as did the Stokes family and, I presume, George Corbett, though I have no information on him for this period. Many at this time were heading to the gold fields inland but Joe secured a job with the Bank of New South Wales which he held for seven years, starting as a messenger and later handling some of the gold that had been found. ^[9,12]

One of the first things he did was to join the Trinity Methodist Church where he quickly made friends and was soon an enthusiastic and active member of the weekly class meeting and the church choir. ^[12]

John Hicks' Journey to New Zealand

John Hicks Jnr left England on 25th November 1882 when he was 17 and joined his brother Joe at Dunedin. He had apparently become friendly with Kate Stokes while she was at The Barrow three years earlier when she would have been 12 and this was part of his reason for going out. His diary has five dates under the heading of Important Dates which are 15th January, 17th February and 6th September in 1879, December 1880 and January 1881. The 6th of September was when Joe, and Kate, left for New Zealand so one of the first two dates may have been the date of the arrival of Kate and the Stokes family at The Barrow but this is only a guess.

He wrote a diary of his voyage out to New Zealand. As with similar journals written by other family members it contains a lot of information on food and weather and not much about other passengers - I do not know whether this indicates a family trait or if, on such a slow journey, meals would be highlights of the day; other passengers may not have been of interest as these diaries seem to have been written for sending back home afterwards.

He mentions that his father saw over the boat so he must have accompanied Hicks to London. Other comments indicate that his father was keen on his food and would have missed fresh meat.

The boat was a cargo boat carrying 12 passengers (or possibly more if there were first class passengers but he does not mention them) and either 14 or 21 crew. Hicks would sometimes work with the crew who he seems to get on well with and describes as well behaved except for their sunday activities and when they drink.

It seems that the passengers may have catered for themselves some of the time, taking it in turns to cook; most of the food came from a common store which I guess was provided for them but they supplemented it with food that they had brought with them. Sometimes there was not enough food and it could be 'rough'.

On Sundays he regularly mentions that he wished he was home hearing a good sermon and various comments show his religious background which would seem strict today. The few times he mentions other passengers it is usually because they are Christians.

The journey was not without incident - The following excerpts illustrate typical entries and give details of some of he incidents.

JOHN H. BROWN "Outward Bound" for N.Z per "Benan" clipper-built iron ship ... chartered by N.Z. Shipping Co. 1338 tons register, classed A.1 Lloyds

Saturday, 25th Nov./82

Went on board at W.India Dock at 10 a.m. At 12 Steamer "Cambria" towed us down the Thames to Gravesend. Busy getting berth clean all afternoon. Anchored at Gravesend. Paid 10/- ^[50p] for excess baggage. Turned in 7.30

Sunday, 26th

Up at 7. Washed on deck. A man from the R[eligious] Tract Society came aboard, brought some books, and spoke a few words for the Master.

Monday, 27th

Up at 6. Felt rather queer. We weighed anchor last night at 12. Did not get any tea or dinner. Went to bed at 5. Felt very sick.

Tuesday 28th Sick. Could not eat

Wednesday Not much better.

Thursday, 30th The last two days I have been very sick. I should like Mother to have seen me turned in my bunk with my clothes and shoes on and a rug over me. I know I looked very miserable, but I am much better today. We can see the English coast plain. Tea at 5 - hot hash, went fine. I think the fresh provisions are all gone, so we have got our salt rations given out.

Friday,December 1st Walked on deck till dinnertime.Sea still rough Saturday Sick again today. Walked on deck. Too cold to read Sunday,3rd Dec No service. Thinking of those at home. One of the passengers read a sermon at night. Sea very rough.

Monday, Dec. 4th

Very bad night. The sea is very rough. It is grand to watch it. It throws the ship about as if she were a log. There are 10 3rd and 2 2nd class passengers, and nearly all of them have been thrown down. I was sitting on a bench with the 3rd mate and a passenger, and the ship gave a lurch, and away we went flying across the deck. The sea is continually breaking across the deck.

Wednesday, Dec. 6th.

We have had dreadful weather, and it is a mercy we are all safe with the ship. On Monday night the wind freshened, and at 12 O'clock one of the mizen yards was carried away. It came down with an awful crash and cut through a thick wire stay. Next the upper and then the lower topsail were carried away. The wind then fell lighter for a little while. You may guess what a state we were in down below. We could hear the water rushing across the deck, and our tins were rolling about the messroom. But the worst was yet to come. About 10 a.m. Tuesday morning the wind rose and the order was given to take in the sail, but it was too late. The sails went one after another, splitting all to pieces. The 1st mate went to the fore main sail, but he got his finger jammed and torn off. About 1 o'clock the hatchway was lifted and a man shouted "Come up and lend a hand". I and three more passengers rushed up the steps and across the deck with the water up to our knees, and we found the men were all aloft and the captain and one of the 2nd passengers throwing the cargo overboard. The sea was now running very high, and the water up round my chest. I hung on to the main mast with my legs swimming on the water. The captain was washed down and his slippers went overboard. However, in a quarter of an hour we had thrown ⁵ 400 worth of cargo into the sea and lashed some gratings that were adrift onto the poop. Then we stood to watch the sea and it was something grand. Now and then a sea would strike her astern and make her quiver, then she would heel over, and thought she would get swamped, but she would right herself again, as the Captain said, like a duck. About 4 o'clock the Captain ordered the passengers up into the saloon, and the hatchway was battened down. Those who had been on deck helping went into the mate's room and had rum served out to them if they wanted it, which most of them did. We had to stay there till the next night, wet as we were. We had a tin of beef and some biscuits sent in, and a can of tea. We lifted the hatch about 12, and found some of the water tins upset, but nothing damaged, so we turned in and had a good sleep. We have had nine sails carried away, and the yard. The Captain has not seen such a wind and sea for many years. A wooden vessel would have stood a poor chance in such a gale. One of the apprentices was washed to a porthole, but caught a rope and saved himself.

Thursday, 7th Dec.

The weather is better today, but there is a heavy sea running. Breakfast - biscuits and preserved beef. Dinner- meat pie. I forgot to say that the cargo we threw overboard yesterday was acid - very dangerous, as it will easily explode and burn anything it touches. It is safest where it is now, and we must give God the praise that we are safe.

Sunday, 10th.

The sailors discovered a stow-away last week, and he has to take a share of the work. It was to keep a lookout, and a vessel passed close before our bows and he did not report it. She proved to be a french man of war. If she had been three minutes later she would have run us down. The man is put in disgrace and is not allowed to work and is put on half allowance of food. ...

There is a great deal of wickedness on this ship, but I expect no more than is on others. Tea - bread and cold beef. I wonder how father would like living on salt meat. I don't

Monday, Dec. 11th There are a lot of rats in the ship, and they make a fine row at night.

Tuesday, Dec. 12th A fellow named Peek had been stealing beef from the storeroom... the Captain has threatened to prosecute.

Monday, Dec.25th.

At night two of the passengers got in the saloon drinking with the Captain, and they got to quarrelling and, at last, fighting. There was a great deal of excitement. Several of the crew got whisky, and there was fighting all the night... I don't think there was a dozen sober men on the ship. I am glad I was taught at home never to drink intoxicating liquour.

Tuesday, Dec.26th.

All those who were drinking yesterday are wishing all the drink at Halifax ^[?]. They look about half dead. They are all too bad to eat, so it is a fine time for me. Had some soup for dinner. The cook was drunk, so I went to the galley and helped myself.

Sunday, Dec.31st

There was another large ship... She had sprung a leak... We gave them a pump... they had besides the cargo 58 passengers. We made ready a lifeboat ..., because if their ship went down their boats were not sufficient

Monday, Jan.1st.

I have been talking to Mr. Gardner, a 2nd class passenger. He is a Plymouth Brother, and our talk was very profitable. He spoke to me first because he heard me humming a hymn.

Saturday, Jan.6th.

The sun is right overhead and is so powerful it makes the pitch bubble up out of the deck seams.... I am glad mother put in the feather pillow.

Monday, Jan.8th.

We sighted the island [Tristan de Chuna] this-morning at 10 o'clock. Were becalmed and gradually drifting towards it. Rather too near to be pleasant. ... two funny shaped boats ... from the island ... came ... manned by twelve men. They brought 5 sheep, 2 pigs..., 2 geese, some wild berries, dried albatross skins and several bags of potatoes etc. They would not take money for any of the goods, but wanted clothing... I talked with one of the men and found that he was an English sailor. He was wrecked on the island, married a girl, and now he is settled down there for life. He said there are 41 men and 25 females on the island. ... The island is a large rock .. they can grow lots of potatoes, but no corn. They get no clothes but what they barter for with passing ships and what they make from sheepskins. Sometimes they don't see a ship for 6 months... They all live in huts made of stones, as they have no timber on the island except scrub... They seem very contented with their rough life. ... The worst is they have no horses. ... Another good feature is they are nearly all teetotallers, and they could get drink if they wanted, and I think that accounts for their agreeing so well.

Sunday, Jan.14th.

We are going a long way south to catch the strong winds, but it is dangerous work on account of the icebergs. We passed 9 last night and 4 today. Such large ones, they looked as big as Bredon Hill. I sighted one this-morning..., and we passed within 300 yards of it. It was worth coming all this way to see it. We have just passed another iceberg only 30 yards away. It was very dangerous, so the mate and all the sailors said. It was a pretty sight, about as large as 20 hayricks put together as near as I can tell. The sea struck it and the foam rose into the air 200 feet. We could hardly see it sometimes for the smoke of the water when it was right abeam. We could hear it cracking like pistols. ... Last Sunday it was burning hot, and now today we want overcoats. I have just heard that we have gone 290 miles the last 24 hours.

Thursday, Jan.18th.

It is grand to watch the heaving of the sea. It is true "They that go down to the sea in ships see the works of the Lord".

Friday, Jan.19th. The captain caught three albatross. They measured 10 feet from wing to wing.

Tuesday, Jan.23rd.

Becalmed again. I turned my box out and examined its contents. It was all right, only the shoes wanted rubbing over; they were getting mouldy. I was sorely tempted to broach a pudding I found there. I have forgotten a good many messages. I suppose it was the excitement of starting.

Sunday, Jan.29th.

I think the sea air agrees with me. I am getting very stout I know, for I can hardly make clothes come together. ... I often wonder how Father would like it if he was here. There is no pantry to run to if you are extra hungry, and Sunday is no different from week-days. The sailors wash their clothes etc. as if it was quite right, and no minister of Christ to speak a good word to them or any of us.

Sunday, Feb.4th.

All the talk now is how long we shall be before we are ashore. I hope, in a fortnight tomorrow.

Sunday, Feb 12th

My cold is better today.. I went to the Captain for a dose (we don't carry a doctor), and he gave me some bitter stuff. ... Well it is Sunday again today, and I long to get ashore and hear something good. The sailors today are selling clothes and playing cards for tobacco. They seem worse Sundays than any other day. ... When I came aboard at London I found my outfit there ready, and also I found my luggage on deck (as Father knows). We got it down below and we were all right. This is what the outfit consists of. A flock mattress, 6' long by 2' wide, two rugs, a pair of sheets, a counterpane and a flock pillow, a tin hook pot, a pannakin to drink out of , a soup tin, a tin plate, and a tin baking dish.The mattress is not of much account, and the rugs - one is very good and I shall take that with me....

Wednesday, Feb.14th.

There are two things break the monotony of a long Atlantic trip, Sometimes, alas, we ship a sea, And sometimes we see a ship.

Sunday, Feb.18th.

We expect to sight the Snares (i.e. a rock off the N.Z. coast) tomorrow, and you may guess how excited we are. We hope to be in at least on Wednesday, so this is the last.

(Two and a half weeks after starting this journey his grandmother Elizabeth Brown died at The Leigh aged 86 - perhaps this implies that his grandmothers' death was unexpected).

Initially Hicks went to Trinity Methodist with Joe but by 1883 he had joined Cargill Road Methodist where he stayed for many years.

Life in New Zealand

At Trinity, Joe met Annie Fowell and they married there on the 22nd of September 1886^[12]. (The story of Annie and the Fowells must be told separately sometime but in brief she was born in Plymouth in 1864, and was now just 21, her parents being keen Methodists like Joe's. Her grandfather was a rural blacksmith in the tiny hamlet of Minards Cross in Cornwall and her father moved the few miles to Devonport to work in the docks as a blacksmith / engineer. She had 3 younger brothers who also grew up to work in the dockyards. Her mother died when she was nearly 8 and her father later remarried. I heard somewhere that she didn't get on with her step-mother which was her reason for going to New Zealand (can anyone confirm this?). She travelled to New Zealand in 1883, aged 18, but was not at home for the 1881 census and I think she travelled from Somerset (but I can't remember who told me this) so she may have been in service away from home. She travelled alone, as far as I know, but she met her Uncle, Robert Skitch, in Dunedin ^[13] (I presume she had not met him before - he was married and living in the gold mining town of Sandhurst, Australia (now Bendigo) seven years before she was born. Robert had had 10 children there, the last in 1872, and then they moved to New Zealand where they had a further 7 between 1874 and 1880. He had been ill for a few years when Annie arrived and died the following year when, according to his death certificate, he only had 3 surviving children! - whether the informant was correct on this or not I do not know)). ^[17]

Joe and Annie began their married life in a bank-owned cottage in Main Street, Dunedin, close to the bank where Joe worked ^[24]. On occasions, in answer to Joe's coo-ee she would present herself at their window or door to see him at the bank window displaying one or more bricks of real gold. ^[12]

It was here that their first daughter, Edith Emma, was born on the 28th of June 1887.

They stayed in Dunedin for a while but Joe wanted to go back to farming and by mid-1889 they moved to Seacliff, on the coast 20 miles (30 km) north of Dunedin ^[14]. To buy this land he went into partnership with George Corbett. The land was hilly and not suited to crops but had good grass for dairy cattle. They separated the milk and had a butter maker on the farm, sending produce to Dunedin. ^[23]

John Hicks eventually married Kate on the 14th of March, 1888 at the home of Kate's father, Thomas Stokes, at Great King Street in Dunedin. John Hicks is described as a Carter and George Corbett, who was one of the witnesses, is described as a labourer. (Joe was not a witness but I do not know if anything can be implied by this). ^{[9, 37]}

There was no church at Seacliff so Joe and Annie went to a small church at Warrington, a small village in pretty countryside (nothing like its English namesake) which was about 3 miles (4 km) away ^[12]. It seems that the church building, which was Anglican, was also used by the Methodists, and Joe was involved with both churches. A letter of thanks for his 'kind and efficient services as Organist and Choir Master' was written to him by the St Barnabas Church Vestry in October 1890, at the end of his first year. ^[14]

Most of Joseph and Annie's family were born at Seacliff -

Joe's Sister, Brothers, Cousins

The Brown Family

I have tried to include information on John Hicks Jnr with Joe's story where possible because of the large overlap of background information for their lives.

I would like to add some more about Joe's other brothers and sister but I do not know much about them and I am sure that there are others who could tell me more about them or their descendants. The following are some brief notes on them.

Joe's sister, Mary Elizabeth, known as Bessie, married James Sibley on the 29th of October 1884. Jim, a farmer, was involved in Methodist and Free Church events in Cheltenham. I think they lived at The Leigh and I have heard a story that she was remembered for arguing with her aunt, Elizabeth Clara Picking, at The Wharf, Coombe Hill. I have not come across much about Jim, I presume he died young and I know that they did not have any children.

In 1933 Bessie was living in a house in Cheltenham owned by Joe. She was the first, in England, to be informed of Annie's death at Panama. Her memory deteriorated badly in her later years and she would go to Boots for meals and forget that she had had a meal so would refuse to pay. Because of this deterioration she moved into Pamington with Eric and Alice.

John Hicks junior joined Joe in New Zealand and stayed there when Joe returned home. He remained in Dunedin running his wood and coal business and then retired to Coombe Bank, Waverley, just across the harbour from Dunedin. John Hicks and Kate had four sons and one daughter, the eldest son becoming a Methodist minister, and have many descendants mostly still in New Zealand. ^[9]

The next brother, Frank, I know little about. I think he farmed Court Farm at The Leigh. He was involved in St Marks Methodist Church in Cheltenham where he was 'an active and earnest supporter' having been a 'munificent donor' 'towards the building fund' for it. He was married and had one son, Jack, that I know of. He was a treasurer of a Building Society, possibly the Cheltenham and Gloucester B.S. He was the first of the family to die on 26 February 1919 aged 52, and he is buried in front of Coombe Hill Methodist next to Joe and Annie. His large funeral was attended by many people representing many different churches and organisations including various sorts of Wesleyan and Baptist churches, the Board of Guardians, Band of Hope, Free Church Council, Circuit Foreign Mission works and Cheltenham and Gloucester Building Society. ^[28]

Finally, Ernest farmed at The Leigh ^[15]. He married Sarah Ann and had two daughters, Mary and Megan. Sarah died in 1924 and he later married Frances Ann. He is remembered for driving an old car held together by string. He died on 29 July 1961 the day before his 91st birthday and Frances died 12 May 1969 - they are all buried in front of Coombe Hill Methodist. Mary married Alfred Troughton and had four children two of whom, Rosemary and Margret, live at The Leigh near a grandson who still farms there. (There is a letter dated 1946 in the collection of documents connected with the Brown family from a Mac H Troughton from Connecticut, USA to Miss Noreine (?) Holland in Auckland addressing her as Dear Cousin Rene. She is probably related to Bob Holland, Joseph Brown's son in law but I do not know if he is connected with Bert Troughton's family or not).

John Hicks Brown = Emma Corbett

|

/---------------------v----------+----------------v------------\

| | | | |

Joseph = Annie Mary John Frank Ernest

Corbett Fowell Elizabeth Hicks William George

Brown Brown Brown Brown Brown

b 1860 b 1864, b1860/1 b 1864/5 b 1866 b 1870, 30 Jul

10 Jan 18 Dec Pendock Leigh 28 Nov Leigh

Pendock Devonport = Kate Leigh

Worcs Devon = d 1929 | Oliver d 1961, 29 Jul

m 1886, 22 Sep Jim 7 Feb | STOKES d 1919 i Coombe

Dunedin, N Z Sibley Dunedin | d 1945 26 Feb Hill=1.Sarah Ann

d 1933, d 1934, | 21 Aug = Amy |d 1924, 19 Apr

6 Jan 4 May | | MEAD | i Coombe Hill

Cheltenham Panama | | |=2.Frances Ann

i Coombe i 5 Jun | | |d 1969, 12 Mar

Hill Coombe | | | i Coombe Hill

Hill /------v-------v------+------\ | /------^----------\

| | | | | | | |

George William Alfred Charles Rita Jack Mary = Albert Megan

Ernest Oliver Hicks James Grace | George

b 1889 b 1892 b 1898 b 1900 b 1905 | TROUGHTON

25 Nov 16 Sep 1 Oct 6 Dec 6 Feb | family

= = = = = | in

Beulan Winifred Marian Hannah Andrew | Poole?

May Ivy HOOPER TAIT Lothian |

HODGE TRERISE | | MacDONALD /-------+-------v-----\

| | | | | | | |

Rosemary Margret Carol Robert

|

Steven

b = born, x = christened, d = died, i = interred

The Corbett Cousins

John Corbett = Mary Hodges

|

Clerk/Agent for Canal + smallholder |

|

/-------v-------v-------v-------v------v--^----v------v------v------v-------v--------\

| | | | | | | | | | | |

Charles Emma James George Mary Martha Louisa John Joseph Sarah Elizabeth Fanny

Ann Clara Susanna

b 1827 b 1829 x 1831 b 1833 b1835 b1837 b1838 b1841 b1843/4 b1845 b1849/50 b 1851

3 Sep 22 Aug 23 Oct 23 Aug /7 /9 /9 Feb/Apr /6

Wor- Wor- St Both born at <-- All born at The Leigh / Coombe Hill, Glos --->

cester cester Peter's, Deerhurst

x 1827 x 1829 Worcester Glos

16 Sep 27 Sep

St |

Peter's |

Joe Brown

The Corbett Family

The Corbett family was large and I only have information on some of the branches. Most of the information that I have is because of continuing links with these branches so it is likely that Joe would have known these and many more of the Corbetts. Contact was lost at some point with George and Joseph Corbett who went to Derby - I presume that they stayed in contact with their parents but I do not know whether their families maintained any contacts with Gloucestershire.

John Corbett = Mary Hodges

/------------------------v---------------+---------v-----------------v-------------

Charles = Judith Emma = John James George=1.Emma Mary = John

| YEEND BROWN | KING | PITCHFORD

b 1827,3 Sep | b 1826, b 1829 | x 1831 b 1833 | b1844 |

Worcester | 4 Feb 22 Aug | 23 Oct 23 Aug | /5 |

x 1827,16 Sep | Worcester | St Peter's Deerhurst |

St Peter's | x 1829 | Worcester Glos | |

Worcester | 27 Sep | | =2. |

| Worcester | Dec 1844/ | Florence |

m 1854, Deerhurst m 1858, 20 Dec, Mar 1845 | b 1858/9 |

| Leigh Age 15 MI | Bristol \----\

d 1915,7 Jul | d 1895 | | | |

Age 87 | 6 May | | | |

Coombe Hill | i 8 May | | \-----\ |

lived at | Leigh | | |

Elmstone | | | |

Hardwicke | | | /--^--\

/--------^--------------v-----v-------\ /--^--\ | | |

George = Emily John Albert Mary = Sarah Rose Florence John Mary

| SMALL "Polly" WESTON? Ellen /Rosa Lilian Annie

b 1854/5 | b Hfds ?b1856 Eliz.

d1946,10 Feb|d1955,14 Dec 19 Sep b1868 b1870 b1891 b1862 b1864

Age 91 | Age 84 /9 /1 /2 d1881

/---------^----------------------------v----------------\

Judith = Sam Benjamin Dorothy

Annie | MOUSER John CORBETT

| d 1913, 15 Jan, Age 7 d Nov 95

/----^----------v---------\ i Coombe Hill

June PETERSEN Corbett Elizabeth

/------+-----\

Rebecca Ruth Luke

The Older Children of John and Mary Corbett

The eldest child was Charles Corbett, Joe's uncle, who married Judith Yeend at Deerhurst in 1854 and farmed at Hardwick Court, Elmstone Hardwicke about 3 miles (4 km) from Coombe Hill. They were involved in the Methodist Church at Coombe Hill where there is a memorial in the outside wall. They had three sons and a daughter, Polly, who may have married one of the Westons in the area but I do not have any evidence that he was related to the Westons that married the Browns. It was Charles' son, George, who travelled to New Zealand with Joe, returning from New Zealand to the family farm where he lived until 1946, aged 91. ^[29] Another son, John, was farming 150 acres separately at Redhouse Farm, Elmstone Hardwick in 1881. Polly, his sister, and Winifred Cullis, a cousin aged 4, were also there at the time of the census.^[6]

Emma has been covered in the section of the booklet on the Browns.

George Corbett moved to Staffordshire and then Derby where he was joined by his brother Joseph as these minutes from the Derby Canal Company show -

2 Nov 1865 Mr G Corbett of Yexall/Tixall Staffordshire applies for post of agent and collector.

11 Nov 1865 Mr G Corbett appointed. Surities proposed by John Corbett, Coombe Hill; Charles Corbett, Hardwick Court; John Pitchford, Corn Market, Gloucester. (These are obviously his father, brother and brother-in-law).

1867 G Corbett brought before the Committee an application for his salary to be increased to ⁵ 125 a year with an understanding that he should receive a further increase to ⁵ 150 in the course of 3 to 4 years if the present dividend (⁵ 4 a share) be maintained. Increase agreed in July 1867

July 1868 G Corbett allowed to reside in the house late occupied by Mr J Etches, in the Morledge, rent free.

Decem 1869 It was decided to inform Mrs Rickland, Agent and Collector at Sandiacre that she would be given notice and asked to leave May 1870.

16 Mar 1870 Joseph Corbett applied for the office of Toll Collector at Sandiacre. The Sub-Committee elected to discuss applications and meet on the 23rd inst. and Mr G Corbett was desired to request his brother to attend.

22 Mar 1887 Meeting about a Bill before Parliament at the Bell Hotel.Mr George Corbett had 5 shares.

April 1891 Joseph Corbett resigned as agent at Sandiacre.

1892 George Corbett's salary increased to ⁵ 250 per annum. The house he now occupied to be given up.

20 Nov 1892 George Corbett died suddenly. The company to send a letter to the family.

George married Mary King at All Saints, Derby in 1867 and the witnesses were Harry New, Hannah King, and P Corbett. Mary's father, James Francis King, was a Hotel Keeper. I don't know who the P Corbett was or if he/she was related to George. Mary seems to have died before 1881 when their daughters were quite young and by 1891 George had married Florence who was 24 years his junior. George is said to have died suddenly but he had made his will two days before he died so it may have been the result of a short illness.

In his will he left his house in Wilson Street, Derby to his wife, Florence Helen Corbett, and his house at Ockbrook Lane, Borrowash, recently purchased, to his daughters, Sarah Ellen and Rosa Elizabeth. He also left his daughters his shares in the Derby Canal Company.

He left the rest of his money to a Trust Fund to be administered by his wife, to his youngest daughter, Florence Lilian Corbett and she was to receive ⁵ 1,000 when she was 21 and the rest of the Trust Fund to his 'dear wife' or in the event of her death to Florence Lilian.

The two daughters from the first marriage may have moved back to Gloucestershire as I think their names were known to family members there and they were not with their father in the 1891 census. I do not know what happened to his second wife and their daughter after his death.

I do not know the exact details of the Pitchford family but Mary Corbett married John Pitchford and they were living at Regent Street, Barton St Mary, when their son John was born on the 13th August, 1862.^[42] They were living at Saintbridge House near Gloucester when their daughter, Mary Annie, died on the 11th February 11881, aged 17.^[21] A few months later the census shows some of the family at Saintbridge Hosue but it does not include the parents who must have been away at the time and there is a gap between the first and second child which implies there were other children who had either died or were away with their parents. The children there were John (18), Ethel C (8), Beatrice E (7), Charles H (6) and Frederick S (3). They also had 3 servants living in the house. The eldest son, John, is listed as working in a Corn Warehouse and I know that his father, John, was a Salt and Corn Merchant in Gloucester where he was also an Alderman.^[42]

Frederick Pitchford would occasionally visit the Brown family in a chauffeur driven car and when he died he was buried in the family vault in Gloucester. I think these visits would have been in the 1940's or 1950's ^[40,47].

John Corbett = Mary Hodges

-----v-----------------v----^-------------v-------v---------------v----------v----------\

Martha = Henry Louisa Frederick John Joseph = Zoe Sarah Elizabeth Fanny

| PALFREY = CULLIS PALFREY Clara Susanna

b 1837| MI b 1839 | b 1841 b 1843 | b 1847 b Dec45 b Mar/Jun b 1851

/9 | Mar/Jun | Mar 12 Aug | 16 Sep /Mar 46 1849 Jan

Leigh| Coomb | /Apr | x 1848 Leigh Leigh /Mar

Glos | Hill,| Leigh | 2 Apr or Clara Leigh

| Glos | = m 1871, 6 Mar d1852/3 Elizabeth

d 1919| d 1918 | | Munsley, Hfds Age 7 = 1.PALFREY

19 Mar| 28 Oct | | | i Leigh 2.Fredk W

i Leigh| i Leigh | | \--\ MI PICKING

MI | MI | \--\ | Cheltenham

| | | | m Tues 2 Jun????

/-----+-----\ /---^---\ /---^---\ |-------v----------v--------\

| | | | | | | | /--^--\ | |

Fanny John Frank H Charles Winifred George Polly died Harry Ernest Frederick Francis

PALFREY CULLIS CULLIS CORBETT CORBETT very = Maud

= young b1879 CLIFFORD b 1881 b1882/3

| b1879

/-----------^-----\ /------v-------v-^----v------v------\

Frank Winifred Reg Winnie Ernest Frank Dorothy Alan Betty Derek

PALFREY = SERMON PALFREY = TILLEY

| d 1994/5 |

| /---^---\

Lillian Mary Graham

The Families of other children of John and Mary Corbett

Martha married Henry Palfrey and their descendants farmed at The Leigh ^[29]. This is the first of three Corbett-Palfrey marriages - the two families may have been cousins through there mothers who both had a maiden name of Hodges but this isn't proved yet.

The last of this Palfrey family at The Leigh, Reg Palfrey, died around New Year 1995 though his brother's wife still lives there ^[42]. The Palfreys may have been cousins of the Corbetts and three of them seem to have married three of the Corbetts.

Louisa Corbett married Frederick John Cullis and had six children, Winifred Clara, Charles, Cuthbert Edmund, Frederick, John and another daughter.^[42] Cuthbert was born 15th April, 1868, ^[44] and Winifred on the 2nd June, 1875 when the family was living at Sheephouse, Stroud Road, South Hamlet near Gloucester ^[43].

Cuthbert went to King Edwards School, Edgbaston from 1882 to 1887 and was awarded an exhibition to Oxford / Cambridge. Unfortunately the exhibition was withdrawn in 1889 when ill-health prevented him continuing his studies. When he started school the family address was given as 2 Salop Terrace, Cla??mont Road - the middle part is unreadable but probably is Claremont Road, Handsworth. The next year it changed to 20 Cla(re)mont Road and the following year to 28 Cla(re)mont Road^[44]. (This may mean that they moved but alternatively it could mean that the street was re-numbered which was quite common).

Winifred was at Redhouse Farm, Elmstone Hardwick, in the 1881 census living with John and Polly Corbett, the children of Charles and Judith Corbett. She went to Summer Hill School, Birmingham, in 1885 and moved to King Edward VI High School, Edgbaston, in September 1891. From September 1889 to September 1891 the family lived at 79 Ryland Road, Edgbaston. In January 1892 the address changes to Tuffley, Gloucester. All the remaining entries until she left in 1895 give this address except for September 1893 when Dudley Road, Gloucester is given.^[44] From school she went to Newnham College, Cambridge. She led an active and eventful life doing work in physiology, active in feminist causes, lecturing around the world both academically and in support of the war effort. She continued active until her death in London on November 13, 1956 in her 82nd year.^[45]

I have more information on the Cullis family that I have not had the opportunity to add yet.

Joseph Corbett (the uncle of Joseph Corbett Brown) married Zoe Palfrey, a sister of Henry Palfrey.

Joe moved up to Derbyshire after his brother George had become established there and worked for the same Canal company. Initially he lived at the lock keepers cottage at Sandiacre lock which is now a small museum about the canal and Victorian life. In April 1891 he took the tenancy of the Red Lion public house in Sandiacre. Zoe, his wife, died in January 1893 aged 46 and nothing is known of him after this.

I have more information on his family that I have not had the opportunity to add yet.

A family name that regularly appears in the funeral reports is Picking - I have seen a wedding invitation for Elizabeth Clara to Frederick Picking at the Countess of Huntingdon Connection Church in Cheltenham. (These were similar to Methodist Churches and are now united with them). ^[33] I think this was Elizabeth Corbett and before Fred Picking she had been married to another member of the Palfrey family. There was also, however, an Elizabeth Clara Palfrey and I need to check the invitation again to confirm that it was Elizabeth Corbett.

Elizabeth Picking is remembered as being 'a strong character and arguing with Bessie (Sibley?) at the Wharf, Coombe Hill'.^[40]

I have more about the Palfrey family but have not had time to add it yet.

Other Families Around The Leigh

It seems that many of the families around The Leigh were inter-related as this tree shows.

John Joseph Elizabeth John Mary

WESTON BROWN = COURT CORBETT = HODGES

| x 1799 | x 1796 x 1798 | b 1805/7

| | |

| /-----------------v--------^-----------------\ /--------+--------\

/---^-- | -------\ | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

John Elizabeth David Henrietta Benjamin Annie John Emma Charles Martha

WESTON= BROWN WESTON= BROWN SMALL =CHATHAM Hicks=CORBETT CORBETT CORBETT

| | | BROWN

| b 1828/9 | b 1831 | b 1833 b 1829 b 1827 b 1837

| | | | =Henry

| | /--------^--------\ /---------/ |PALFREY

| | | | | |

Miriam Lionel 1.William Mary 2.Fred Emily George Frank

WESTON = MOUSER Court WESTON = SMALL = TILLEY SMALL = CORBETT PALFREY

b 1856 | b 1860 | b 1871 | b 1854/5 |

| | | |

| \--------------- | ----------\ |

| | | |

\--------------------\ /-------------------/ | |

| | | |

Sam Judith Win Reg

MOUSER = CORBETT TILLEY = PALFREY

b 1894 b 1902

Joe's Parents and Grandparents

Joe's obituary describes him as 'a member of an old established family well known in North Gloucestershire' and we can trace some of his family history further back despite the problems of tracing such a common surname as Brown.

At the start of his story I said that Joe grew up surrounded by many relatives at The Leigh and Coombe Hill and there are still quite a few there now; It might be assumed that these were long established families in the villages but the places of birth on the trees below show that this was far from true and neither of Joe's parents, John Hicks Brown senior or Emma Corbett, were born there - both the Browns and the Corbetts had moved around before settling in the parish during the time when the population was growing and perhaps they got to know each other because they were both new to the area.

Richard ROBINS = Mary

|

James Brown = Lidia ROBINS

|

| x 1777, 23 Nov

| Stow-on-the-Wold

m 1798, 14 Feb,Upper Swell

|

Joseph BROWN = Elizabeth COURT John WESTON = Sarah

| |

x 1799, 25 Mar | b 1796, 18 Sep, Wood Stanway |

Upper Swell | x 1796, 11 Oct, Stanway |

m 1824, 13 Nov, Stanway, Gloucestershire |

d 1863, 20 May,Age 64 | d 1882,12 Dec,Age 86 |

i Leigh, Glos | i 16 Dec Leigh |

Farmer | |

/---------v----------v-----------^----------v-------------------------\ |

| | | /---------- | ------------------- | ---^--\

Sarah Ann Joseph Elizabeth Job John Hicks Emma Henrietta David

BROWN BROWN BROWN = WESTON BROWN = CORBETT BROWN = WESTON

| | | |

b 1825 b 1826 b 1828, | b 1827/8 b 1831, | b 1829, b 1833, | b 1829/33

29 Sep 9 Mar | 16 Jan | 22 Aug 7 Jan |

Wood Pye Mile? Stow on | Winchcomb/ | Winchcomb | Leigh

Stanway /Mill the Wold | Stanway ? | |

x 1825 | | x 1831,20 Mar|x 1829,27 Sep x 1833, | Dealer

20 Oct | | Winchcomb | Worcester 15 May |

Stanway | | m 1858 20 Dec, Leigh Winchcomb |

= ? | d 1890, | d 1865, | | d 1875,

Richard? | 8 Feb | 19 Apr d 1898,20 Nov|d 1895,6 May d 1907, | 11 Oct

Brooke? | | Age 37 Age 67 | Age 65 25 Mar | Age 42

|? | i Leigh | i Leigh, i Leigh | i Leigh i Leigh | i Leigh ...

There was a John Corbett christened at Cradley in 1770 and at first I thought he could have been Emma's grandfather but there was a John and Sarah Corbett at Cradley in the early 1800's and there are a couple of reasons for thinking it is this John's christening (rather than John the husband of Mary). Firstly, this John and Sarah were witnesses to a marriage between two Banister's at Cradley and Banister was the maiden name of this John's mother so it seems likely that this is not our John.

Secondly, it seems that John and Sarah's daughter became a Mormon and soon after marrying at Cradley moved to Salt Lake City in America where her husband seems to have taken a number of additional wives. The Mormon libraries have information on the Corbetts at Cradley going back to the early 1700's which includes notes linking John and Sarah to the John christened in 1770 and including other information like the exact date of birth of John in 1769 which implies they received this information from the reminiscences of John and Sarah's descendants.

This family seems to have been the main Corbett family in Cradley but they may not have been there for many years since the earliest Corbett I have found there is in 1730 and this person does not seem to have been an ancestor of these Corbetts.

The other Corbett family at Cradley seem to have only been there briefly before moving on to Dymock in Gloucestershire.

The Brown's Pedigree Tree

Finally to sum up and to show more clearly how these families fit together the following tree shows the ancestors of Joe and John Hicks as far as we know them at the moment with the main places where they lived as adults.

BROWN ROBINS COURT HICKS CORBETT

William Mary John Hannah Richard

BROWN = FORTEY= HICKS =

of Upper Swell | of Stanway

| | |

| | |

James Sarah Richard Mary John Sarah

BROWN = FORTY ROBINS = HICKS=

of Lower Swell of Stow-on-the-Wold of Stanway

| | |

| | |

James BROWN = Lydia ROBINS Thomas Elizabeth John Mary

COURT = HICKS CORBITT=

of Upper Swell of Stanway of Cradley

| | |

| | |

Joseph BROWN = Elizabeth COURT John Mary

| CORBETT=HODGES.

moved from Stanway to The Leigh of The Leigh

| |

| |

John Hicks BROWN = Emma CORBETT

of The Leigh |

/------------v------------+----------v----------\

| | | | |

Joseph Mary John Frank Ernest

Corbett Elizabeth Hicks William George

Sources

1. Joseph Corbett Brown's Birth Certificate

2. John Hicks Brown and Emma Corbett Marriage Certificate

3. 1851 Census

4. 1861 Census

5. 1871 Census

6. 1881 Census

7. Emma's obituary in Methodist Church Record (Local paper?) (Annie's scrap books). (Newspaper obituaries are not necessarily accurate - for instance, they may have moved back in 1864 but it could not have been later than 1865 if John Hicks junior was born at Coombe Hill).

8. Joseph's Obituary.

9. "Stokes Centenary" by Bert Stokes prepared for the anniversary of the journey to New Zealand.

10. Tom Stokes' diary quoted in "Stokes Centenary"

11. "David Copperfield", Charles Dickens (Chapter 57 and following chapters).

12. Fred Brown's talk at the Brown Centenary Service to celebrate one hundred years after Joe's arrival in New Zealand

13. Skitch family bible

14. Letter from Warrington church in Annie's scrap book.

15. Cuttings in Annie's scrap book.

16. Annie Brown's Obituary and funeral reports. (Annie's scrap books)

17. Mrs Doddridge, Australia. Researching the Skitch family.

18. Clare Osborn. Wife of Joseph Corbett Brown's Grandson.

19. Annie's letters on New Zealand trip

20. Postcards from Fred and Edith postmarked SP 14, Tilbury. (Sep

1914?) (Annie's scrap books)

21. Annie's scrap books - other entries

22. Information on the boat can be found in "The Sailing Ships of the New Zealand Shipping Company 1873-1900" by Alan Bolt and "In the wake of the Endeavour": The history of the New Zealand Shipping Company 1873-1900 by Gordon Holman. Both quoted by Bert Stokes in "Stokes Centenary"

23. "Memories and Impressions of David and Mary Jane Wilson of Flag Swamp and their family" by A. Wilson (son in law of Joseph Corbett Brown). 1972

24. "Memories of Yesteryears" by A Wilson. 1975

25. Diary of Will Brown, son of Joseph Corbett Brown, for his journey to New Zealand in 1910.

26. Tribute to Fred Brown, son of Joseph Corbett Brown, given at his funeral.

27. Birthday Book - Inside the front cover it has 'Hicks Brown. March 1877' and inside 'John H Brown, Leigh, Cheltenham'. This is the source for some of the dates in the family trees.

28. Frank Brown's Obituary. Brother of Joseph Corbett Brown and John Hicks Brown jnr.

29. Dorothy Corbett, daughter of George Corbett cousin of Joseph Corbett Brown and John Hicks Brown jnr.

30. Harry Workman, Brother of Eric Brown's wife Alice Workman. Eric Brown was youngest son of Joseph Corbett Brown.

31. Memories of David Wilson, Grandson of Joseph Corbett Brown.

32. Gravestones at The Leigh Church and Coombe Hill Methodist

33. In papers from Jeffrey Brown

34. Memoirs of Fred Brown, son of Joseph Corbett Brown.

35. Otago Daily Times report reproduced in "Stokes Centenary"

36. Obituary of John H Brown jnr in 'Methodist Times' (New Zealand) on 6th April 1929.

37. Marriage Certificate of John Hicks Brown

38. Mrs E Marion Sim, 24 Livingstone Crescent, St Albert, Alberta, T8N 2H3, Canada

39. Mr Richard Forty, 93 Devonshire Road, Aberdeen, AB1 6XP. Details from Stow-on-the-Wold parish registers, Jessy Clifford's monumental inscription, Stow-on-the-Wold and will of John Fortey and Gloucester Record Office.

40. Jeffrey Brown, Pamington Farm, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. Grandson of Joseph Corbett Brown

41. Letter written by Rev George E Brown, Sep 1962 transcript from Colin MacDonald

42. David and Christine Corbett, 38 Harrington Street, Pear Tree, Derby, DE23 8PG.

43. Birth Certificate

44. School records

45. Obituaries and entries in Who's Who

46. Mormon 'Baptisms for the dead' Registers

47. John Pitchford,

Version 4.2 August 1997

Still to do -

History of Annie's family.

Add story of Gyngell's garage

Check up story of Elizabeth Clara Picking arguing with Bessie Brown at the Wharf. Was it these two involved. Where did they live. When did Bessie move into Glos.

Was Polly Corbett a strong character or did this refer to Elizabeth Clara?