John Brown (cyclist)

John Brown

Personal information
Born	(1916-01-07)7 January 1916 Lesmahagow. Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died	12 April 1990(1990-04-12) (aged 74)
Spouse	Meryla Bruford Webb ​ (m. 1939)​
Sport
Country	New Zealand
Sport	Cycling
Club	Manukau Amateur Cycling Club
Medal record Representing  New Zealand Men's Cycling British Empire Games 1938 Sydney Road Race

John Brown (7 January 1916 – 12 April 1990) was a New Zealand cyclist who won a silver medal at the 1938 British Empire Games.

Biography

Born in Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on 7 January 1916, Brown was the son of Elizabeth Pearson Stewart and her husband John Brown, a coalminer.^[1][2][3] After the family emigrated to New Zealand, Brown took up the sport of cycling in 1932 when he joined the Manukau Amateur Cycling Club in Auckland. He finished third in his first race, and second-fastest in his next race three weeks later.^[4][5] Less than two months after starting competitive junior cycling, Brown was riding off scratch and winning races.^[6] The following season, he joined the senior ranks.^[7]

In October 1934, Brown won the Auckland provincial 100-mile road-race championship, completing the 105-mile course from Papakura to Ngāruawāhia and back in a time of 5:10:38.^[8] In 1937, he recorded a race record time of 4:28:25 in winning the same event.^[9] Three weeks later, he won the North Island amateur 100-mile road title, riding the race from Palmerston North to Wellington in a time of 4:38:17.4.^[10]

In November 1937, Brown was selected as one of New Zealand's three representatives in the road race at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney.^[11] In that event, he finished second, half a wheel behind the gold medalist, Hennie Binneman of South Africa.^[12][13]

On 18 February 1939, Brown married Meryla Bruford Webb at St Peter's Anglican church, Onehunga.^[2][14][15] The couple went on to have two children.^[2]

Brown died on 12 April 1990.^[1][2]

References

1. "Death search: registration number 1990/38846". Births, deaths & marriages online. Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
2. "Family: Brown John / Webb Meryla Bruford (F35)". WebbFamily. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
3. "1916 Brown, John (statutory registers births 649/1 29)". ScotlandsPeople. National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
4. "With the amateurs". Auckland Star. 4 August 1932. p. 16. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
5. "Cycling: with the amateurs". Auckland Star. 25 August 1932. p. 17. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
6. "Manukau amateurs". Auckland Star. 26 September 1932. p. 13. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
7. "Cycling: with the amateurs". Auckland Star. 10 May 1933. p. 15. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
8. "Road cycling: 100-mile race". New Zealand Herald. 8 October 1934. p. 13. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
9. "Sensational finish". Auckland Star. 4 October 1937. p. 14. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
10. "North Island title". New Zealand Herald. 25 October 1937. p. 15. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
11. "Dominion cycling: team for Empire Games". New Zealand Herald. 2 November 1937. p. 10. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
12. "J. Brown does best". Auckland Star. 14 February 1938. p. 14. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
13. "John Brown". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
14. "Marriages". Auckland Star. 6 May 1939. p. 1. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
15. "Pantry party". Auckland Star. 6 February 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 1 May 2018.

External links