John Cunningham Brown (1844 - 1929)

John Cunningham Brown of New Westminster. Photo courtesy BC Archives collections.

Born on February 13, 1844 in Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland to Scottish parents Robert Campbell Brown and Catherine Bryce, John Cunningham Brown emigrated to Canada and settled in New Westminster in 1862, when he was just eighteen years old.

Warden John Brown and Deputy Warden William Carroll (left) on the penitentiary's main hall steps, c. 1920. Photo courtesy New Westminster Museum & Archives (IHP 1954-065).

Upon his arrival in New Westminster, Brown entered the newspaper business as a reporter, moving to Victoria when the Columbian moved there in 1869. In 1871 he started the Dominion Pacific Herald (which subsequently became the British Columbian) with W.H. Keary (later a mayor of New Westminster) and George Kennedy (who later became co-owner of the Columbian). On October 30, 1877 Brown married Kate Eleanor Clarkson, and in 1880 he sold his newspaper and became postmaster, a position he held for twenty years.

Brown was elected to represent the riding of New Westminster City as an Independent in BC's 6th general election in 1890, serving one term. He was defeated in the 1898 election, but elected again in 1900, this time to serve as Minister of Finance in Premier James Dunsmuir's government (1900 - 1902). Upon his defeat, he was assisted by his friend James Buckham Kennedy (a Liberal MP who represented New Westminster in the House of Commons between 1904 - 1908) to become Warden of the BC Penitentiary. Brown's appointment was announced at the end of October 1907, and on October 29, 1907 his friend C.H. Semlen wrote to congratulate him:

Dear Sir,

I hear that you are to be sent to the penitentiary. I have been thinking over things and I am surprised that you have escaped so long -- justice is sometimes slow but to some it comes sooner or later. I don't know of anything that you've done lately worse than usual -- you were always a Grit -- but whatever it may be J.B. Kennedy undoubtedly knows and I hear that he is sending you up. I have known J.B. for many years, in fact I think you introduced us, and have always considered him A1. Of course he is human, which his vote on the autonomy bill proves, but I have still every confidence in justice and am satisfied that he would do nothing from malice or other unworthy motive and must therefore reluctantly conclude that you deserve what you get. But do not despair J.C., and do not try the Bill Miner trick when you want to get clear, but appeal to the Dominion government and the old timers will all assist, Tory and Grit as well, to the extent of our might.

In deep sympathy, believe me --

Yours truly C.H. Semlen

Brown's tenure as warden was marked by numerous escape attempts (including the 1912 attempt by Herman Wilson and Joseph Smith), and high staff turnover due to wage dissatisfaction. The Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 - 1919, during which eighty-four convicts were hospitalized and five died, posed another significant challenge.

Following his retirement, Brown lived at 831 6th Street in New Westminster. He died on January 8, 1929 at the age of 84 attended by former BC Penitentiary physician T. Bennett Green, survived by his wife and six children: Bryce, Ewing, Kenneth, Walter, Gertrude and Mrs. Norman Brown. Brown's obituary in the New Westminster British Columbian referred to him as "[o]ne of this city's real pioneers", noting he had been a resident of New Westminster for sixty-two years. John Cunningham Brown is buried in Fraser Cemetery, New Westminster.