Family
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Helene Mary Fels was born in 1882 and died at the young age of 32. She was related to the Hallensteins, a family which established itself as goldfield merchants in Otago in the 1860s and who later began a nationwide chain of clothing stores. Her death ended Brasch's 'childhood proper' at the age of four. |
Helene and Charles Brasch, c. 1912. Brasch Papers, MS 996 12/59 |
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Charles, Hyam, and Lesley Brasch. Brasch Papers, MS 996-12/58. |
Hyam (later Henry) Brasch (later Brash) was a lawyer
of Jewish origin. He matriculated from University of Melbourne in 1891
and then became a practicing barrister in 1897. He was a keen gardener,
keen sportsman (golf and bridge figured large) and appreciated the importance
of a good education. These certificates are from the Brasch Papers at
the Hocken Library.
On display is a rather full and descriptive letter
of Henry Brasch's travels through South America in 1954. It eventually
reached Brasch, being redirected to Eric McCormick's residence at
Auckland. The letter is unsigned and begins warmly: 'My very dear
Charl…' This greeting is almost always found in Brasch Senior's
letters to his son.
Charles Brasch (1909-1973), literary editor, poet
and patron. Born in Dunedin, and educated at Waitaki Boys' High
School and St John's College, Oxford. He lived abroad for many years
working as a teacher in England, as an archaeologist in Egypt, and as
a civil servant in wartime London. He returned to New Zealand and founded
Landfall in 1947. Brasch 'had a double significance for New
Zealand writing. He was a fine and sensitive poet, and by founding and
editing for twenty years the literary periodical Landfall, he
unquestionably did more than any other individual to consolidate the arts
in New Zealand after the Second World War.' - Charles Brasch,
by James Bertram. Here Brasch is at the beach
and in a jovial mood. Charles Brasch, n.d. Brasch
Papers, MS 996-12/64 In Willi Fels's clear hand is written 'loving
thoughts and best wishes' to Brasch who, as revealed, is 'Harold-Charlie
to me, son and grandson.' Harold was Fels's only son, killed
in the First World War in 1917. Brasch responded warmly to his grandfather
and learnt much from him. Fels was also an inveterate traveller.
'Bankton',
London Street, was the house the Brasch family moved into after
Tweed Street, Charles's birthplace. The two-storey house had
once belonged to the first minister of the Otago settlement, Thomas
Burns, a nephew of the poet Robert Burns, and then to Sir Robert
Stout. After his mother's death, the drawing room was closed
and it became 'half a house' for the young Brasch. 'Bankton'
(MS 996-12/95) 'Manono',
now 84 London Street, was Brasch's home away from home. There
he enjoyed the company of his grandparents: Willi and Sara Fels.
Sara taught herself Sanskrit in order to read the Upanishads, was
interested in the theosophical writings of Madame Blavatsky, the
writings of Matthew Arnold, St Francis of Assisi, and Boehme. Willi
surrounded himself with his collections: plants, Roman statues,
Maori artifacts, Indian and Malayan armour, Tibetan silver and bronze
jugs, Persian rugs, Japanese ceramics, prints, and books. This photograph
depicts the original wooden 'Manono' house. 'Manono'
(MS 996-12/91) 36
Heriot Row: Brasch's residence in Dunedin. Relatively small
in size, it held his books and papers and most of his artworks until
his death in May 1973. To English students who attended tutorials
there, it seemed a place of 'quiet culture.' This photograph
was a taken by David Lloyd, 11 June 1973. Heriot Row (MS
996 - E6549/15) Esmond de Beer, an independent scholar and collector,
lived most of his life in England undertaking two scholarly projects:
the definitive diary of John Evelyn, and the correspondence of John Locke.
Cousin to Brasch, he (along with de Beer's sisters Mary and Dora)
gave invaluable support and encouragement to all of Brasch's literary
and artistic endeavours.
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