John Archibald Brown, 1839-1925 - an Autobiography

John Archibald Brown, 1839-1925
[From the Tourist 1898]

The Manx Museum holds a typescrpt "Autobiography of J. A. Brown" which is possibly the first part of an intended fuller autobiography as it only covers his early life and the founding of the Isle of Man Times by his father

Autobiography of J. A. Brown,

J. A. Brown was the eldest child of James Brown, Founder of the Isle of Man Times, His grandfather told him that he lived in Nova Scotia, presumably in Halifax. He ran away to sea at about nine years of age, made 18 voyages in the slave trade, New Orleans to America, was 20 stones in weight, 6'4" in height, and was coloured. His name was Cato. In due course he left the Slave trade and ultimately became Chief Boatswain on Nelson's flagship 'Victory' and was on that ship at the Battle of Trafalgar.

After leaving the Navy he came to Liverpool and there he worked in a foundry.

He appears to have been married 3 times. My Grandmother is said to have been an Irish Lady, and she ran away from her husband Cato. as far as I know, there were only two children, my Uncle John who was older than my Father, and my Father James. James Cato, my Grandfather, appears to have had a large number of acquaintances. Cato deserted from a ship in the Navy on account of the Captain's cruelty, and rejoined on another ship in the name of Brown. This was before he got on the 'Victory'.

Haskayne- probably the name of one of Cato's wives, as one of my Great Aunts of this name dropped down dead in a passion. I can just remember this. My father was rather violent in temper before this, but he was much quieter afterwards. Haskayne, was an Aunt or Great Aunt of mine, as my Father used to say that a Lady bearing that name once asked him to meet her, and my Father thought this must have been his mother, after she deserted her husband.

My Father's Grandmother on his Father's side was named Gough (Maiden name). The Goughs were a family of merchants in Liverpool.

Cato used to talk a great deal about life on the Spanish Main' in the Navy, going ashore and seeing the Spanish girls etc. Cato made a tin fiddle and played it skilfully for the girls and men to dance to.

My Father James and My Uncle John were educated at the Blue Coat School in Liverpool. James became a printer and as such worked on the Liverpool Mercury in the days when it was owned by Messrs Edgerton Smith and Company. It was still carried on under that name when the late John Maitland became Chief proprietor. My Uncle John became a temperamce advocate and Missionary, and as such was attached to a Church in Everton Road, Liverpool.

My Father James was born Jun 15th 1815. I do not know whom my Uncle John married, except that his first wife was called Aunt Jane, and his second Aunt Victoria. About the beginning of the 19th Century the Duke of Athol, the Lord of Mann, determined to have a semi royal residence in Manxland, and selected the site of Castle Mona Hotel. He bought over from Sootland two Scotsmen to assist him in the work. One was Menzies McKensie, who married Ann Curphey, the latter had a sister Isabella. The result of this marriage was a family of ten children, my Uncles. Nearly all these boys were connected with the building trade. They probably built Mona Terrace and a lot of other property in Douglas. Menzies Mckenzie had a family of about 8 boys and 2 girls. Of these two girls, one Isabella married a man named Bromley, and the other girl Ellenor married my Father. My Grandfather and Grandmother, the McKenzies lived in Shaws Brow. Shaws Brow was then a Front Street, fronting on the fields were Athol Street now is. These fields vere called Gicks Fields, and Hollintide fair was held there.

Subsequently Mensies McKensie and his family went to Liverpool,in the year of 1850. The children's names were Will, Sam, my brother James' Father in law (the father of his wife Nell). This family was in a great way of business in Liverpool. They built hundreds of houses when I was about 4 years old. These properties, they promised, were to have eventually come to us. Several of the children died of consumption, and eventually the only one left was Sam.

One of the McKensie's children, the youngest, was Ross. He it was who first brought [the name] Ross into the family. Others were named Josiah, William and Sam, two of these mentioned above. Sam was something like Menzies. Menzies was a Stone mason, These boys made too much money and took to drink and women. Ross was the first to go into consumption. Menzie McKenzie's (my Grandfather on my Mother's side) wife's name was Ann Curphy, as mentioned previously she had a sister naned Isabella Curphy of 10, Mona Terrace. Number ten was next to Clifton, which was the end House in the terrace at Crellin's Hill end. She was a leading dressmaker of Douglas and made a small fortune, She was very fond of my Mother, Eleanor, and persuaded my Father to go and live in Douglas from Liverpool, when I was about 6 years old. My Father when working in Liverpool at the Liverpool Mercury, also kept a Public House called the 'Concert Tavern' in Bean Street, off Fox Street, Liverpool, possibly where I was born. My Father, Mother and myself (the other children were born in Douglas) came to live in Douglas as requested by Isabella Curphy. My Father started in Douglas as Foreman of a revolutionary paper called the National Reformer, of Wellington Buildings. These Buildings were off Duke street, near to where Boots Shop is now situated.

The Proprietor of this paper was an Irishman named O'Comell. At that time newspapers printed in the Isle of Man went free to the United Kingdon, and there was a colony of about 300 printers in Douglas. Through the machinations of Mr. Fargher of the Monas Herald, the stamp privileges disappeared and the newspapers quickly followed suit. Amongst then were the Oddfellows Chronicle the I. O. M. Times (published by Penrice and Russell) and the National Reformer. Father then worked for Robert Haywood Johnson, printer of Prospect Hill, and also worked for the Manx Sun of which the Proprietor was named Curphy. Work at both these places failed and my Father went away to the great firm of Macquorquadales, Newton le Willows, in about 1847. It seemed likely that my Mother and I would have to follow my Father to England, and this caused the establishment of the Isle of Man Times. My great Aunt, Isabella Curphy, who never married, did not like the idea of my Father and I leaving the island, and so she borrowed £30 from her servant, Ann Casement (the latter looked like a Witch, and was a relation of Casement the engineer who built the Laxey Wheel)

Father left Macoquorquadales, and with the £30. bought a little printing plant and a wooden press, second hand. This as what is known as a Cock Robin Printing Office. This he fixed up in premises situated in Dukes Lane, on the left hand side going towards the market, the third house on the left after leaving Market Hill going towards Muckles Gate. Here in Dukes Lane my Father, persuaded by a man named Mitchell started a weekly named the Manx Lion. Mitchell was Manager and gathered up the advertising money and decamped. This caused the Manx Lion to collapse about 6 weeks after its commencement. I went to trade with my Father on October 23, 1850, 12 days before my eleventh birthday.

My Father could not afford to keop me at school, so I left. We went to the North Quay fron Dukes lane, about three doors on the red Pier side of the Coffee Palace, which was then a Grocers shop, and afterwards Breareys Chemist Shop. We had been about a year in Dukes Lane, and about a year in the North Quay premises. I started my apprenticeship in the North Quay. We had a Printing press in the garrett and a composing room on the ground floor of the left hand side of the door going in. It was a double fronted house. We lived on the right hand side of the house. We moved from the North Quay to Thomas Street, immediately behind where Rooth's shop now is. Thomas Street crossed Victoria Street. There was little printing to be done and Father eked out a living by clerking at auctions, and I was the sole staff at the office. Here, in Thomas Street we started a booksellers business. We never sold a book, and I read all the books. These constituted my sole education as I was unable read at 9 years old. The feature of the stock was about 30 historical novels by G.P.R. James. For some years there was an increase in the amount of the business transacted.

We left Thomas Street in about 1855. At that time there was published in Douglas by one Peter Crankwood, [sic Peter Crank Wood] an Advertising Circular, 4 pages, Demy Folio. This consisted mainly of news of the publishers business. It was printed by Robert Heywood Johnson Prospect Hill. Peter Crankwood was not very prosperous and got in the debt of Johnson, who notified Crankwood that he would discontime publication. Crankwood then asked Father to print the advertising circular. Father wished to decline, but I advised acceptance saying "Take it over, I feel sure this will develop into a proper newspaper": Eventually Crankwood got in to Father's debt. And so next week, Father brought out a publication of Browns' Advertising Circular, before Crankwood could make other arrangements. Crankwood's and Browns' Advertising Circulars were given away free throughout the town, and lived on their advertising Revenue.

Crankwood's circular died and Browns' Advertising Circular became the Isle of Times after about 2 years.

The publication of the Advertising Circular commenced in 1858 or 59. Father printed for about one year for Crankwood's circular prior to the 2 years publication of the Advertising Circular. Crankwood owed Father about £70. I delivered both Crankwood's circular and Browns circular throughout the town.

We left Thomas Street, about 1857, and moved to the Parade, at the side adjoining the Royal Hotel, right opposite the door of the Thistle, formerly the Hotel. Father then let for a dancing academy the big floor adjoining the office. In this room I formerly went to school, afterwards occupied by the printing premises. Browns' Advertising Circular was very popular as several bright spirits aired their views therein. Amongst them were John Willis, a retired gentleman, William Livesy, one time Proprietor of the Preston Guardian, T.J. Duseley, the poet, and William Pearce Pool M.A. master of the Douglas Grammar School, then called the Middle School.

The success of the Avertising Circular became so great that on the 19th February 1861, I persuaded Father to develop it into a news paper. I had 6 weeks notice of the impending change. The 1st edition of the Isle of Man Weekly Times came out on May 1861. I had only acquired the very elements of shorthand but in the 6 weeks, I worked up to 70 words a minute, and became a Reporter.

Williaw Pearce Pool was the 1st Editor, and I was the 1st Reporter. Father looked after the office. We had very little money to carry on the newspaper, and Father was frequently without pay on the Saturday.

I received 20/- weekly. Poole soon resigned the Editorship and was followed by Thomas John Duxley, who, at the same time published a Satirical called the Manx Punch Duxley was a very reckless writer and was a personal friend of Disraeli, afterwards Lord Birkenhead. Duxley wrote a very libelous article concerning a Church question. I read the article and advised Father that it was dangerous to publish it. Duxley was annoyed and immediately resigned the Editorship. Then Duxley turned to me and patted me on the back and said to Father "This boy will do what you want". I was then 23.

I then became Editor, Leader Writer, and also of course was the Reporter. My wages were 30/- a week. The newspaper was then printed by a hand press and there were 2 or 3 printing hands working in the business. Duxley had started a sort of chats feature in the paper called Paul Pry, and I continued this feature when Duxley resigned,

We moved from Parade Street to Wellington Street in 1867, and in about a year we again removed to the corner of Athol Street at St. Georges Chambers. These premises were about 2 years later sold over our heads to James Kissack by a leading Roman Catholic named Roney. On my advice we bought the present premises or rather the next door premises where Johnson's Office is now. After negotialions we agreed to purchase these premises for £700, but we had not as many pence. The time for the payment of the deposit of £200 was fixed for 11 a.m on a certain Saturday. At 10.0 am we had nothing. £100 was advanced on the security of the Government Printing by Mr. J. T. Clucas, father of John Donald Clucas. Horwood, a friend of mine kept the owner, a Miss McAdams, talking until 11.30 when I turned up with the £200. The 2nd £100 was advanced on a promisory note backed by Jas. Aspell, Butcher, by the Bank of Mona, this man was the father of Aspell the butcher, and Aspell the chemist.

Interesting Events and Facts.

Curphey the owner of the Manx Sun had a disgusting way of increasing the circulation of his papers when standing at the corner where Fells is. Street selling was then started at once by me.

William Milner gave me a safe after seeing me at the Wellington Street Shop,

I made £700, out of an enquiry in the Poor Relief in the Isle of Man. During the 6 months occupied by this enquiry I was never more than 5 hours in bed per night. On the strength of this £700 I spent £1,900, £1200 on the present Athol Street building, and £700 on a printing machine.

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor HTML © F.Coakley, 2024