Samuel Brown

Who was Samuel Brown?

Samuel Brown was the Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand from 1887 to 1888.

Brown was born in Ireland in 1845. He came to New Zealand in 1862, first settling in Invercargill having walked there from Dunedin. He erected Hallenstien and Co's first business in New Zealand. Brown then moved to Wellington in 1864 where he was a merchant and contractor, responsible for the Wellington steam tramways and the tunnels and central section of the Wellington and Manawatu Line. He was also involved in the construction of the Midland and Westland Railways. He built the first portion of the Wellington Gas Works, the Maginnity Street drill shed, and the first lighthouse at Cape Farewell. He was the Managing Director of S Brown and Sons Limited, wood and coal merchants. This was a firm he founded on his arrival in Wellington. He was amember of the Wellington Bowling Club and a Freemason. At one point in time he had a wood and flax business based in Foxton and owned a small steamer the Piaka as part of that business.

He was a Wellington City Councillor from 1879 to 1885, and Mayor from 1887 to 1888. Brown served on the Wellington Harbour Board and the Wellington College Board of Governors.