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LES BROWN's story

This account has been adapted from "Browns of Kyeburn Peninsula" by Wally Brown - to whom many thanks



Leslie James Brown was born on 9th August 1916, and attended school at Kokonga until the family moved back to Kyeburn Diggings. On leaving school, he worked for Wattie George at Spec Gully before WW2 and then at Stuart's Gully, a right hand branch off German Creek. He married Elvie Hore in 1947 for the first 9 years he and Elvie lived at German Creek, but for the whole time he was suffering from disseminated sclerosis. His condition fluctuated, and he would lose some ability for a while, like speech or the use of his leg, and then regain it, but he had to give up the heavy work of gold mining because he couldn't lift the heavy pipes. Unfortunately his intermittent illnesses were never long enough to get sickness benefit

They had three boys of their own, one of whom, Raymond, fell through the ice of a pond and drowned, and they looked after three welfare children as well for several years and to help make ends meet Elvie had a telephone bureau in thir house opposite the cemetery at Kyeburn Diggings -she took over from the same Bobbie Young who had the telephone when Allan phoned for help for his father. She had a large vegetable garden between the cemetery and McCready's where she grew vegetables which supplemented their income, usually on a barter basis, and worked as well in several post offices.

Both of them were active in sports ; Les was president of Naseby Bowls Club, and played for the Kiwi Curlers, while Elvie was an accomplished hockey player, although as time progressed she took up golf.

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