Brown Street (New Plymouth)

Brown Street is named after Charles Brown "The Major": military man, businessman, civil engineer, superintendent and well known citizen of New Plymouth. While it is a remarkable life Charles led, it is his early life and tragic death that offer an insight in to this man and the time in which he lived.

Charles' father was Charles Armitage Brown, writer and good friend of the poet Keats. He referred to his son as Carlino. They moved from England to Pisa and then to Florence to advance the boy's education. On their return to England, the young Charles left behind a literary life for a more pragmatic career in civil engineering. Concerns about their financial situation prompted the father and son to move to the settlement of New Plymouth.

Charles arrived here in 1841 on the Amelia Thompson, followed a few weeks later by his father on the Oriental. They built a whare near Te Hēnui River in the area now known as Brown Street.  Charles Armitage Brown died seven months after his arrival. The 21 year old Charles abandoned the name Carlino and made this place his home.

Charles served in the Taranaki Wars. He became superintendent, established the Taranaki News and worked as an interpreter for the courts. It was after one such session that he met his tragic and very public end.

In September 1901 Charles finished work and stopped near the Brougham/Devon Street intersection to buy some fish. The hard of hearing 81 year old turned toward his bus and was hit by the Hāwera bound train as it crossed Devon Street. He died instantly. His fish and cane were later discovered entangled in the train's cattle catcher. Even in death Charles was civically influential as the tragedy prompted a decision to move the crossing from the centre of Devon Street.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.