William Thomas Brown “Our Willie”

The grave of William Thomas Brown. 

Anglican Division A Row 5 plot 78

Photo: Cathy Currie

William was the son of Emily (Emma) and Christopher Brown and

was born in Invercargill in 1881, the third child in a family of five.

The Browns moved to Auckland and were living at Dignan St in Ponsonby when William became desperately ill with tetanus late April 1888.

He died six days later at the age of seven.

William was buried at Waikumete two days later and anecdotal information concerning his burial at Waikumete Cemetery has no doubt been embellished over the years, certainly adding to the mystique.

William’s father Christopher worked for a local brickmaker and made the headstone which he designed and fired himself.  It is rumoured that following the funeral,that the grieving father returned to his beloved son’s grave that night to put his headstone in place.

His deception was eventually uncovered and some of the concrete he'd used to hold his handiwork in place was apparently ripped away by staff affronted by his efforts to bypass bureaucracy.

Fortunately a compassionate cemetery official intervened and decided to let things be.

The little homemade memorial survived a couple of additional removal efforts in the years that followed and the actual tombstone is where is still stands today, protected under an unwritten Cemetery lore.

A tribute not only to William, but the Mum and Dad who were determined to give their little boy a decent sendoff.

It is etched with the word "Our Willie" and bears the initial of his parents, "C. & E. Brown" in the space usually reserved for monumental masons on surrounding tombstones.

The Browns do not appear to have stayed in Auckland for too long after their loss and were living in Dunedin around 1911 when Emily died on February 8, 1911, aged 55.

Some of William's siblings lived long lives and are buried in the same Dunedin cemetery as their mother.

Christopher does not lie among them – when he died has yet to be established.

Anglican Division A Row 5
Plot 78: William Thomas Brown
            Ruby Ellen Ambridge (7 weeks) 1891

OUR WILLIE

died 

May 2nd 1888

aged

      7 years.

            C. & E. Brown

Source: Matthew Gray's "Tales from the Crypt", Western Leader 23/11/10
Image: Cathy Currie


Presented by Susan Reid - Discover Waikumete