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Herbert Brandon
1868 - 1938 (70 years)-
Name Herbert Brandon [1] Birth 28 Oct 1868 Lower Clapton, London 
[1, 2] Christening 17 Feb 1869 St John, Hackney, London [2] Gender Male Immigration 29 Oct 1881 Wellington, New Zealand [1] Ship: Pleione Death 29 Nov 1938 [1] - Cause: Cancer
Person ID I22615 Great Wooster Tree Last Modified 3 Dec 2022
Father Richard Brandon, b. 1842, Rotherhithe, Surrey d. 5 Feb 1898, Whanganui, New Zealand (Age 56 years) Mother Lucy Ballard, b. 11 Sep 1841, Broadstairs, Kent d. 14 May 1926, Wellington, New Zealand (Age 84 years) Marriage 5 Sep 1865 Parish Church, Broadstairs, Kent [1] - Married by the Rev Fred Newell
Family ID F05982 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Gertrude Mary Ann Twyman, b. 1875 d. 6 May 1955, New Zealand (Age 80 years) Marriage 1912 Ramsgate, Kent [1] Children 1. Raymond Charles Brandon, b. 23 Mar 1913, Hauturu, New Zealand d. 16 Jun 2002, Whanganui, New Zealand (Age 89 years)2. Aleck Twyman Brandon, b. 16 Jan 1916, New Zealand d. 3 Aug 1995, New Zealand (Age 79 years)Family ID F6922 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 28 Apr 2021
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Event Map 
Birth - 28 Oct 1868 - Lower Clapton, London 
Immigration - Ship: Pleione - 29 Oct 1881 - Wellington, New Zealand 
Marriage - 1912 - Ramsgate, Kent = Link to Google Earth Pin Legend 
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Histories 
Herbert and Gertrude Brandon (nee Twyman)
From Rev. Brian Brandon
Herbert, my grandfather, was born on the 27th October, 1868, the third child of Richard and Lucy Brandon. He came with his family to NZ at age 13, where they settled in Wanganui. He had completed his schooling by this time. In his earlier years, he had experience as a builder, and built over 100 houses in Wanganui. His brother Fred helped him.
At some point he travelled, including a time when he was working in the goldfields in Perth. He also made one trip to England before the trip on which he married.
He bought a 1,000 acre farm at Hauturu, an isolated area towards the coast from Waitomo, in 1909. James and Adolphus had already purchased farms in the Hauturu area. He explains his reasons for switching from being a builder to a farmer as the better business opportunities. The land at this time was just being divided up for settling by a balloting system. The Oates brothers, who won the ballot for one of the farms, were not able to continue with it and so gave an opportunity for Herbert.
He paid 1,200 pounds to the owners for their goodwill in developing the land, and by 1914 he had to pay the original purchase price of 8/6 per acre. Only 200 acres of the farm was already felled. The farm was quite isolated, and because the roads were not completed, most of the goods required had to be packed on horseback 8 1/2 miles from Awaroa. From there it was a launch trip down the river and across the harbour to the west coast port of Kawhia, the closest town.
Shortly after arriving at the farm, Herbert observed Halley's comet, and had to explain to some frightened Maoris about it.
Herbert, and his brother Fred worked together to develop the farm, living in a hut at first. The brothers had to operate their own sawmill to hand cut logs into timber required for all building. They also had to fell much bush in order to make more land available for stock.
From early 1909, Herbert began corresponding with Gertrude Twyman, in England. He must have met her on his previous trip to England through his sister Edith, who was a good friend. Herbert urged Gertrude to come out to see NZ, extolling its virtues. But Gertrude did not want to come out because she was looking after her father who did not want her to leave home. But as the letter writing progressed, Herbert proposed to her. Because of the length of time it took the mails to travel and for an answer to come back, it must have taken considerable courage to wait for his reply. When the reply came back `No', Herbert patiently kept trying until eventually the decision was made and he travelled to England to marry Gertrude.
Herbert was 44, when in 1912 he married Gertrude Mary Anne Twyman, six years younger than himself, the daughter of Frederick and Anne Twyman, at Ramsgate, on his visit to England. They had two children, Ray and Aleck.
It must have been hard for Gertrude to come out to an isolated lifestyle of rural New Zealand, after the town life she was used to. Gertrude had a strong Anglican church upbringing. Her faith was very real to her, she had a sense of closeness to the Lord, and she prayed a lot at home on her own and with the family. She had a spiritual ability to sense when she was going to get a letter or when someone had died in England. She used to have regular contact with all the Anglican ministers who came to the Hauturu area who came in to take services. Gertrude also brought with her a gift of singing and a love for music. On one occasion she sang in a service before Queen Victoria. In the valley she was invited to sing at many church and social functions. She could sing classical and opera pieces. She was a soprano, and could reach some very high notes. She sang at Ray and Ruth's wedding. Herbert was also musical and used to play a violin at social occasions.
The family was brought up on music. They had a gramophone very early on with classical singing records. Both Herbert and Gertrude took part in plays that were home grown entertainment for the area.
Because of his previous work in building, Herbert was able to build his own house, though it took him 12 years to complete it. Building had to be fitted in between farm work and helping others with their building. As much of the house as possible was made with Totara, because it was the best timber to work with, resistant to splitting, and durable, and there was plenty of it growing in the bush. He also made his own furniture including an elaborate writing desk, beds, dressing table, and a mantel piece in the lounge, which had glass cases on each side for Gertrude's ornaments. He had an excellent set of tools and was good at drawing up plans.
From when he went to the farm, Herbert planned to use the scenic waterfall on the property to generate power for the farm. He installed it in 1927/28 and it continued to operate until about 1940, just a few years before they were hooked up to the national power grid. It was a 230 volts, 6 amp. power supply which was only just enough to operate either the shearing shed or the house lights on their own, but not both together. There was a big loss of power in the line which was over a mile long.
He worked hard, getting up early in the morning and working until late at night. He was a wiry man, full of energy. In the evenings he would often write letters. He involved himself in the issues of the day, and the needs of the community. He was keen on the Douglas economic theory (Social Credit), and would write to all the Prime Ministers, local MP's, and Sam Craig, the first editor of the `King Country Chronicle'', expressing his views. For a long time he had a battle with the authorities to get the roads extended and improved, especially with a Mr Alf Babbage, a neighbouring farmer and County Councillor for many years. Mr Babbage didn't want the road to go through to Waitomo because of the cost of repairs it would be to the Council. But it was a necessary improvement to Herbert, who wrote direct to the local MP, Mr Walter Broadford, until he got the road widened from the track it was, and then later to get it metaled.
During the depression, all the wool was saved for 4 years, a total of 130 bales. There was very little money from the sale of sheep. Ray and Aleck who had complete studies at that time, both worked on the farm without any pay. In 1934, he bought his first car, a 1933 V8 Ford. It was suitable for the roads, because of its high clearance to get through the mud. The car was delivered to their home, then Ray and Aleck had to drive it to Otorohanga via Te Raumoa to get a license. They didn't do to well in their test, especially with reversing the car, but the official granted them a license in order that they could drive the car home. Herbert never drove the car.
Both Herbert and Gertrude played an important part in the social life of the community of Hauturu Valley. Gertrude was an excellent entertainer, always busy with people who came in. A lot of relations came to stay because they knew she was such a good hostess. She liked pleasing people. She fed the shearers well because she knew they really appreciated it. There was a Maori family, the Tupu Mihi's who did some work on the farm - she would send food to them and bake a Christmas cake for them. She also fed the road gangs who had to live on the job in their tents or huts built of Punga sides and Nikau palm roof.
They were both keen gardeners. Herbert was keen on his fruit trees, strawberries, and rhubarb. Gertrude loved the flowers.
Over the last few years Herbert was ill, but he worked to the last. He died from cancer on November 29th, 1938. Gertrude survived him for some years, continuing to live on the farm. She died of coronary thrombosis in 1955. I remember attending her funeral service in the Anglican church at Otorohanga.
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