BROWN, ALFRED NESBITT (1803-84) intended to study law but, conceiving a desire to engage in missionary work, for which the Church Missionary Society had as yet no training college, he entered the home of the Rev Edward Bickersteth, a leading member of the Society. When the institution at Islington was opened in 1825, Brown completed his studies there and was ordained by the Bishop of London in the Chapel Royal at St James's (1828). In the following year he married, and shortly afterwards sailed for New Zealand in the Elizabeth (C. Davis and his wife being fellow passengers). Arriving in Sydney in Oct 1829, Brown stayed for a short time with Marsden (q.v.) and eventually reached his destination at Bay of Islands at the end of Nov. In 1833 he accompanied William Williams on an exploration to Thames. In Feb 1834, with Hamlin, he explored the Waikato and later he made a long journey through the southern district and Waikato. Sites for stations were chosen at Otawhao, Puriri, Matamata, and Rotorua and for Brown's own station at Te Papa, Tauranga. In 1835 he opened a station in Waharoa's territory at Matamata. There he laboured for a short time and the chief's son, Tamehana Tarapipipi te Waharoa (q.v.), became a sincere convert and a powerful advocate of Christianity. A general war breaking out, Brown had to leave this station and he returned for a while to Paihia. In 1837 he accompanied Marsden in H.M.S. Rattlesnake to visit the eastern and southern settlements. In 1838 Brown took up his abode permanently at Tauranga, where he spent the rest of his life labouring with great success amongst the adjacent tribes.

As the third ordained minister sent to the New Zealand field, Brown was of great assistance to the brothers Williams and later to Bishop Selwyn, who appointed him in 1843 archdeacon of Tauranga and four years later wished to nominate him for a new bishopric. Brown was a generous benefactor of St John's College, Auckland, where he founded the Marsh scholarship in memory of his only son (who died in 1845). His wife died in 1855, and five years later he married Christina Crombie Grant Johnston (who died in 1887). During the Maori war of the sixties Brown was much distressed at the turn events had taken, involving so many of the missionary natives in hostilities with and against their own people. The mission house at Tauranga was the refuge to which all the white women in the district repaired and he intervened in every way to bring about a peaceful settlement. On 28 Apr 1864, the night before the attack at Gate Pa, he invited to communion the British officers chosen for the assault. All but Dr Manly were killed the following day. Brown was described by Mair as 'a courtly, scholarly English gentleman.' He died on 7 Sep 1884.

Sherrin and Wallace; Stock; Jacobs; Carleton; Cycl. NZ., ii (p); Brown, Brief Memorials of an Only Son (1845); Maxwell.

Reference: Volume 1, page 65

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