John Brown was born at Dover on 2 August 1797. In 1811 he was appointed midshipman a board Surrey captain Beadle later he sailed to the East Indies on Scaleby Castle captain Harrington. After returning from China, Brown became a wholesale goldsmith and diamond merchant. He retained his interest in exploration particularly in the Polar Regions as well as studying geology, mineralogy and geography. Brown was made a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and Captain Kellett gave Brown's name to headlands on Prince Patrick Island during his voyage of 1853. Brown was a fried of the Antarctic explorer James Weddell and collected biographical material on him, which he wrote up in a biography. Brown died on 7 February 1861 leaving 3 sons and 2 daughters.
His son John Allen Brown continued to retain his fathers notes on Weddell and added to them information on portraits and other material regarding him.
From the guide to the John Brown and John Allen Brown collection, 1839-1895, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)
