Adolph Brewster (1855 – October 1937) was a British colonial administrator in Fiji.
Adolph Brewster | |
|---|---|
| Official Member of the Legislative Council | |
| In office 1908–1910 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1855 Melbourne, Victoria |
| Died | October 1937 London, United Kingdom |
| Profession | Colonial administrator |
Biography edit
Brewster was born Adolph Brewster Joske in Melbourne in 1854, the son of the businessman Paul Joske.[1] He was educated in England, before returning to Victoria and becoming involved in a company negotiating with Cakobau of Fiji to obtain land to grow cotton in Fiji.[2] Brewster moved to Fiji in 1870 to take over a plot of land in Suva district.[2] He created a sugar plantation, and built the first sugar mill in the islands.[2]
In 1884 Brewster joined the civil service. He reached the positions of Commissioner of Colo East and Colo North, as well as Deputy Commissioner of the Armed Native Constabulary.[2] On 10 July 1902 he married Alice Caroline Stracey Tyler in St Stephen's Church in Bath whilst on a visit to England.[3] In 1908 he was appointed to the Legislative Council by the Governor.[1]
Brewster retired in 1910, after which he changed his name by deed poll, replacing his father's name with his mother's maiden name, Brewster.[1] He retired to Bath, where he wrote two books, Hill Tribes of Fiji (1922) and King of the Cannibal Isles (1937).[2] He died in London in October 1937.[1] Alice lived until the age of 111; at the time of her death in 1982, she was the oldest person in the United Kingdom.[4]
References edit
- ^ a b c d About Islands People Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1937, p11
- ^ a b c d e Men who knew yesterday Pacific Islands Monthly, December 1937, p57
- ^ Our London Letters New Zealand Times, 3 September 1902
- ^ Philip Snow (1998) A Time of Renewal: Clusters of Characters, C.P. Snow and Coups, The Radcliffe Press, p234