Father of Bob Brockie, Janet Mary Braggins and Barbara Anderson Jarnell; curator of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and then of Otari Plant Museum in Wellington 1946-1962. [WWNZ 10th edition 1971] Husband of Vera Best.
Brockie, Walter Boa, 1897-1972
There are 5 related items to this topic
Audio
Interview with Robert Ellison (Bob) Brockie
Date: 11 Dec 2006
From: Otari Wilton's Bush oral history project
By: Brockie, Robert Ellison (Dr), 1932-
Reference: OHInt-0830-02
Description: Interview with Bob Brockie, born Christchurch, 23 April 1932, and brought up in Merivale, Christchurch. Refers to his father Walter Boa Brockie emigrating to New Zealand in 1921 and working first as a gardener in Dunedin. Mentions his father started working at the Botanic Gardens in Christchurch in 1928 and was quickly promoted. Outlines how after six months on Campbell Island as a meteorological officer in 1946, his father shifted to Wellington in 1947 for the job of curator at Otari-Wilton's Bush. Recalls that the Bush was neglected after the war, and his father gave up on the forest communities, concentrating instead on rock gardens for alpine plants. Mentions that much of the reserve was in gorse in the 1940s and 1950s. Outlines other native plantings his father did in Wilton and Wadestown. Mentions that possums were rare in the 1950s and discusses the birds he saw. Describes his father's plant-collecting trips, mainly to the South Island. Outlines his father's work in hybridising native species. Mentions his father's connections with the DSIR Botany Division. Also mentions his father writing a book titled Growing Alpine Plants, editing the National Gardener, and writing gardening columns for the Ashburton Guardian and a Christchurch magazine City Beautiful. Briefly discusses his own activities at Otari-Wilton's Bush and university career. Interviewer(s) - Johnathan Kennett Quantity: 1 printed abstract(s). 1 C60 cassette(s). 1 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5576. Search dates: 1921 - 1947 - 2006
Other
Interview with Janet Mary Braggins and Barbara Anderson Jarnell
Date: 15 Jan 2007
From: Otari Wilton's Bush oral history project
By: Braggins, Janet Mary, 1933-; Jarnell, Barbara Anderson, 1939-
Reference: OHInt-0830-01
Description: Interview with Janet Mary Braggins (nee Brockie), born Christchurch 1933, and Barbara Anderson Jarnell (nee Brockie), born Christchurch 1939. Talk about their father Walter Brockie, who worked at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens until they moved to Wellington in 1947 when he became curator at Otari. Describe their home and family life at Otari, and community life in Wadestown. Discuss their father's work maintaining and developing the gardens, referring to the rock garden, Cockayne's memorial grave, and planting kauri. Mention the two staff Arnold Henderson and Bon Everett, neighbour James K Baxter, and friend Harry Talbot. Discuss their father's interests (including photography and homebrewing), holiday plant collecting trips including Campbell Island, and breeding native plants. Mention their mother Vera Best started the visitors' book - James K Baxter wrote a poem in it. Refer to their father saying that it would probably be another 50 years before his work at Otari would be appreciated. Interviewer(s) - Johnathan Kennett Quantity: 1 printed abstract(s). 1 C60 cassette(s). 57 Minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5563. Search dates: 1933 - 1947 - 2007
Manuscript
Brockie's chronicles
Date: 1943-1958, 1999
From: Brockie, Robert Ellison, 1932- : Brockie's chronicles
Reference: MS-Papers-6565-1
Description: Printout of Brockie's edited diaries, letters and notes, 1930s to 1952 with background family biography, extracts from his father's reminiscences and account by Brockie of his early years. The first part, `Boa', tells of his father's experiences and includes extracts from reminiscences during World War One and family history from the 14th century. Brockie writes of his various experiences during the 1940s to 1952, growing up in Christchurch and moving to Wellington, at school, university, tramping and social life, some as reminiscences, the rest extracts from his diaries with linking information. Quantity: 1 folder(s).
Manuscript
Biographical research
Date: [2008]
From: Clarke, Sandra Stelfoxe, 1942-: Collection
Reference: MS-Papers-12397-17
Description: Material relating to the 'Five Visionaries walk in Otari' which was held on 23 November 2008. Contains biographical information about the five people highlighted as part of the walk; Leonard Cockayne, Bernard Aston, Margaret Martin, Walter Brockie, and Raymond Mole. Also contains biographical information about Andrew Beddie, and a copy of an article 'The Vegetation of Marlborough' by William Martin. Title supplied by Library. Quantity: 1 folder(s).
Manuscript
Chronicles
Date: 1999
From: Brockie, Robert Ellison, 1932- : Brockie's chronicles
Reference: MSDL-0074
Description: Chronicles are in date order, with files labelled `1930s, 1940, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958'. These include extracts from his diaries, reminiscences, copies of correspondence and notes. Includes file named `BOA' which provides information on his father, Walter Boa Brockie, and which includes extracts from his father's war diaries (World War I, Palestine). Quantity: 12 Electronic document(s).