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Brown was involved in many mining ventures in the Territory from the early 1880s, including John Bull
Mining, Extended Union Gold Mining, Leviathan Tin Mining Daly River Copper Mining, NT Mining and
Smelting, New Zapopan Gold Mining and Rum Jungle Copper Mine. He devoted a lot of time and energy to trying
to persuade the government to give more encouragement to mining and led many deputations to the Government
Resident on mining matters. His interest in mining nearly caused his death in 1887, when he was lost for seven days
while on an exploratory trip—he and his companion survived on one iguana, five dozen periwinkles, five apples
and march flies. His least successful mining venture was New Zapopan Gold Mining Company, in which he lost
over 5 000 Pounds.
Business was very difficult during the depression of the 1890s and in 1894 his brother John left the Territory
to try his luck elsewhere. Brown and Herbert Adcock continued to run Port Darwin Mercantile Agency Company
but the company failed and went into voluntary liquidation early in 1895. They received second-class insolvency
certificates and were suspended from business for a few months, but Brown soon bounced back. In February
1896 he started up his own business back at the Mart, trading as V V Brown, shipping, mining, land and general
commission agent and auctioneer. His agencies included Eastern and Australian Steam Ship Company Ltd and
Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd. The Mart was badly damaged in the 1897 cyclone but was
repaired the next year and continued as his place of business until his death.
In 1899 Brown purchased the business of E O Robinson at Bowen Strait for his son Alf. Other business
ventures included a timber-cutting business in Darwin, buying and selling goatskins and selling cotton produced
at Shoal Bay. In addition to his auctioneer and agency business, he won the contract to build several buildings in
Palmerston, including Fannie Bay Gaol in 1882 and Christ Church in 1902.
Brown was very active in the local community. In 1880 he was elected to Palmerston District Council and
became Council Chairman. He remained a Councillor until 1887, and then served again 1890–1894. In 1894
he replaced his brother John as District Clerk and Secretary to the Local Board of Health and held these positions
until his death. He took an active part in South Australian elections, being local election committee chairman for
a number of candidates, but never stood for Parliament himself He helped to found a number of organisations
working for the advancement of the Northern Territory: he was first president of the Northern Territory Reform
Association in 1883 and in 1901 became first president of the newly formed North Australian League, holding
this position until his death. He helped to found the Northern Territory Agricultural Association (in 1895) and
the Northern Territory Racing Club. He was President of the Racing Club for 27 years from its inception in 1882
until his death, and was also its Secretary, treasurer and handicapper at various times. He was an active member
and office bearer of the Dramatic Club, Musical Society, Literary and Debating Society, Brass Band, Port Darwin
Cricket Club (he was President for many years and was made a life member in 1899), Rifle Club (President),
Athletics and Cycling Clubs (President).
He took part in and led deputations to the Government Resident on many matters relevant to the local
community, for example, the state of roads, the need for more local courts, the need for a new recreation ground,
welfare of lepers and improved mail services. He convened, chaired or attended many meetings on matters of local
concern such as rates, the need for a new town hall, criticisms of Northern Territory residents, the South Australian
government’s management of the Territory and the need for construction of the transcontinental railway south of
Pine Creek. He was a member of the management committee of Palmerston Hospital 1879–1889 and a member of
the Board of Advice for Palmerston School District 1880–1889. He was concerned that Asian immigrants should
not take jobs which local people were able to do, but was not overtly racist and had many Aboriginal and Chinese
friends. He was a juror at many local trials, including the trial of Rodney Spencer in 1890 (the first time in the
Territory a white man stood trial for wilful, malicious and felonious murder of an Aborigine).
Brown was a short man, usually dressed in immaculate whites and was known affectionately as ‘Daddy Brown’.
This is not surprising as he had 18 children. He was genial, friendly, hard working, energetic, optimistic and honest
and accepted his many reverses with courage and good humour. His activities brought him into contact with many
people from all levels of society and he was one of the most popular and well-known residents of Palmerston
in the 1890s and early 1900s. He died of acute gastritis syncope on 18 February 1910 at Palmerston, aged 68,
and was buried at Two and a Half Mile cemetery. He was survived by his second wife (who was killed in an
accident in Darwin on 1 November 1925), three sons and two daughters of his first marriage, including Emanuel
Victor Voules and Alfred Joseph Voules, and five daughters and four sons of his second marriage. His name is
commemorated in Darwin by Brown Street near Fannie Bay Race Course and Brown’s Mart in Smith Street and
at Rum jungle by Brown’s leases at the former uranium mine. There are several photographs of him amongst the
W V Brown family papers and in J Rich’s Gum Leaf and Cow Hide.
Chronicle 26 February 1910; ‘A hard worker’, Northern Territory Times, 12 January 1906, and 25 February 1910; J Rich, Gum Leaf and Cow
Hide, 1986; W V Brown family papers; Research material held by author.
JENNY RICH, Vol 1.
BROWN, WILLIAM STANLEY (STAN) (1892–1986), public servant and pastoralist, was born in Melbourne
on 31 January 1892, the son of Alfred Brown, contractor, and his wife, Louisa, nee Brimblecombe.
Stan Brown’s earliest recollection of a major event was of being thrown in at the deep end of the Charters
Towers Municipal Baths at the age of three by his father. This was an experience shared with his five brothers and
sister. It was the manner in which they learned to swim.
His father, Alfred Brown, began his Queensland endeavours in partnership with George Brimblecombe, an
engineer, contracting for and constructing sections of the overland telegraph (OT) line from New South Wales to
Cape York. Brimblecombe was an engineer and Brown an electrician as required by the contract specifications.