About People

The late Norvel Keith Brown was born and brought up in the Nelson district and educated at Nelson College. He served an apprenticeship with the Anchor Foundry Company before going to sea as an engineer in 1935. He was an engineer on a Shaw Savill and Albion Company ship which was sunk by the German raider "Graf Spee" and was later an "Altmark" prisoner rescued by the British Navy in Josing Fiord, Norway, in February, 1940. He served with the R.N.R. as an engineer for the rest of the war. In 1954 he became Chief Engineer to the Cook Hospital Board, Gisborne, and after nine years there was appointed Chief Engineer to the Taranaki Hospital Board at New Plymouth. However, soon after he became ill as a result of war service, and died in April, 1955, leaving a widow and two young children, aged six and eight.

After 16 years these children have grown up and both studied at University. Warwick, now 24, recently returned briefly from Sydney to be capped Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Canterbury. Since early January he has been employed with the worldwide firm of chartered accountants, Price, Waterhouse and Company, in their Sydney office.

Victoria, nearly 23, graduated from the University of Canterbury in May last year as a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) with second class honours and in April this year became New Zealand's First Female Master of Engineering. For her thesis to complete the latter degree, she did a study on pollution in Christchurch. She is now employed by an American firm, Lightnin Mixers, in Sydney, as one of their four chemical engineers.

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Victoria Brown ... New Zealand's first female Master of Engineering

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Warwick Brown ... Bachelor of Commerce

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Thirteen boys from the Nelson district are at St Bedes College in Christchurch. They are, standing: R. O'Connor (Murchison), R. Catterall (Nelson), M. Huggins (Richmond), J. Nolan (Motueka), D. Lenting (Nelson), W. Day (Nelson). Seated: S. Taylor (Tapawera), M. Carey (Nelson), H. Ellis (Pepin Island), M' O'Connor (Brightwater), F. O'Connor (Murchison), A. Paul (Nelson), C. Smith (Nelson)