Samuel Brabazon

John Brabazon

Ellen Brabazon

My Grandfather John Brabazon, born 3 January 1887 in Waipukurau New Zealand was the son of Samuel Brabazon, born 15 November 1845 in Co. Westmeath, Ireland. His father, Robert Brabazon born 1801 in Co. Westmeath, Ireland married in 1843 in Casteltown, Geoghegan, Ireland, Rebecca Jessop, born 1808 in Co. Westmeath, Ireland. Little is known of Robert Brabazon but it is recorded that he had one brother, William who married Hannah Johnston, and they raised three children, John, Thomas and Ezekiel.
Robert Brabazon was known to be a seafaring man who immigrated to Australia about the middle of the century. His son Samuel followed his father to Australia but I understand they never met

We have a copy of a letter written by Samuel Brabazon detailing his experiences as a stockman and shepherd on large sheep stations in Central-Southern Queensland, and taking part in moving large mobs of sheep (up to 22,000) down to the Darling river to the town of Burke in New South Wales.After some time in New South Wales, he sold his horses and equipment in order to raise finance to travel to the Palmer gold-diggings in Northern Queensland, when he received a letter from his mother (Rebecca Brabazon -nee Jessop) advising that she was emigrating to New Zealand with her two daughters Rebecca and Mary Ann , and requesting Samuel to join them there.

Samuel sailed from Newcastle N.S.W. on the ship "Wellington", a collier, working his passage on this leaky boat as they were short of sailors. He arrived in Wellington N.Z. on 3 October 1873.He mentions that this Collier later sank in Cook Strait after leaving Wellington to return to Newcastle for another shipment of coal.

He met his mother and two sisters when they arrived in New Zealand in 1874, and they settled in Hawkes Bay.

Samuel Brabazon was as employed as a fencer and stockman at the Mt. Herbert sheep station in Central Hawkes Bay. He married Ellen (Nellie) Cox on 2 July 1884, and later purchased his farm at Norsewood, Southern Hawkes Bay about 1892. They raised three children -

Rebecca Gertrude born 1 March 1885

John born 3 January 1887

Eva Victoria born 16 June 1897

Samuel Brabazon died 2 July 1932, and his wife Ellen died 11 November 1939, both in Norsewood.