The Life and Times of Captain John Rose Brandon

The SS Indus arrived at Southampton on Wednesday night, with the Queen Dowager of Oude, and the brother and son of the ex-King, with one hundred and six followers... (who) occupied the whole of the fore part of the ship. (News of the World; 24 August 1856)

Brandon acted as interpreter for a formal introduction of the Mayor to the Queen in her enclosed sedan chair; later a number of dignitaries and 'about thirty ladies of Southampton' were introduced to the party, and Mary Ann Brandon, reported the newspapers, 'an English lady who long resided at Cawnpore, in Oude, and who accompanied the Queen to this country, acted as interpretess.' Captain Brandon, as 'general agent', had the responsibility of finding residences for the Royals, and after a stay in Southampton they moved to Harley House, Marylebone, which he rented out for a year at £550.00 (UK Pounds). It appears the visitors wanted to hide themselves from the public glare, and aroused some controversy.

In February 1857 John Rose appointed an agent, John Cook, to look after his business interests in Lucknow, particularly his coach services, but the agent soon withdrew. Before long the situation in India became explosive and the Indian mutiny occurred. The Massacre of Cawnpore claimed the life of George David (de Rusett), his wife and 2 children. In England, the Dowager Queen had been finally granted an audience with Queen Victoria, but ultimately her mission was in vain. The Brandons, meanwhile, had other plans.

John Rose sailed to New Zealand on the `Roehampton' to Lyttleton in 1858. He had occupied the chief cabin and was accompanied by his wife and seven children. He purchased land between the Rangiora settlement and the Ashley River. His farm ran along the Coldstream Road from the recreation ground reserve. He did not work his new farm for long, and sold it in three parts in the later 1860's.

In 1859 George de Rusett, declared bankrupt 5 years earlier, also sailed to New Zealand and soon moved to Sydney, but later in the same year George and John Rose Brandon met up in Benares and travelled to Calcutta to claim reparation from the Indian government for the deaths and the loss of stock in the company. George, after purchasing property in Rockhampton (another story) died in Sydney in 1861 of "disease of the liver".

George's widow Mary Broad de Rusett, back in London, advertised in 'The Times' in an attempt to find out the truth about George's true surname and year of birth; perhaps his daughter Mary Anne (Brandon) from his first marriage had spilt the beans about her father. He had previously passed her off as a niece, and she may have tired of the pretence. In addition George's marriage to Mary Broad Tripe was bigamous, which meant all her children to him were illegitimate and therefore unable to inherit: this may have been the reason for George's hurried departure from England for New Zealand, and ultimately Australia where he died.

John Rose got involved in various local affairs and was a founding member of several of Rangiora's early societies. He was considered to have eccentric views. When it was moved that the township of Rangiora be proclaimed a borough, A William Bus and John Brandon opposed it. He reasoned that the Road Board who served the town had just as much power to remove nuisances as a council would have, and that Rangiora had reached its place of eminence, not through its own merits but because of the railway.

Rangiora had two doctors practising in the 1860's. The first, Dr William Borrowdale Tripe, arrived in 1859. He was the brother of George de Rusett's widow Mary. Dr Tripe was joined in a three year partnership in 1865 by Dr James Badger Downes. Both Tripe and Downes married daughters of Captain John Rose Brandon (Susan and Georgina respectively). When Tripe left Rangiora he sold his practice to a Dr. Henry Currie. He described himself as an Occulist and Aurist, but he did not stay long. In 1871 he sued two patients for non-payment of medical fees, but when he took the stand, the magistrate considered him too drunk to give evidence and ordered him to be goaled. He also married one of the Brandon daughters, Annie.

Conflict with Maori's in the North Island in the 1860's, gave rise to a local Volunteer Reserve. Captain Brandon was given command of the Rangiora Volunteers, who came in for some withering criticism from the public. There is a record in the `Christchurch Press' 5 May 1871, of a Mary A. Brandon who was fined 10s in the Magistrates Court for drunk and disorderly behaviour. This Mary Ann died on the 27th November 1883 from alcoholism; most likely this was John's second wife.

By this time (on 29th July 1879) John Rose Brandon had been admitted to Sunnyside Mental Asylum. He died 12 years later on the 28th of May 1893, the cause of death being senile decay.

References:

Engaging Scoundrels; True Tales of Old Lucknow, Rosie Llewellyn Jones, 2000, OUP
Julie Quigley, family history research.
The Times and News of the World, 1856
Elizabeth McKenzie, Christchurch

Acknowledgements:

Grateful thanks to Marty Wooster, and Brian Brandon for the original article.