John Seabrook
Born 6 Jan 1896 - Died 8 Jan 1985
- Service number
- WWII NZ1081 AWMM
- Also known as
- Jack AWMM
- Yik AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
- WW1 Captain/Military AWMM Royal Flying Corps AWMM
- WW2 Group Captain/Military AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
- War
About
- Title
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- Forenames
- John AWMM
- Surname
- Seabrook AWMM
- Ingoa
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- Also known as
- Jack AWMM
- Yik AWMM
- Service number
- WWII NZ1081 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
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- Religion
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Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 6 Jan 1896 AWMM
- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
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- Post war occupation
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- Next of kin
- WW1 Albert David and Marion May Seabrook of 'Dreamwood Park', New Lynn, Auckland AWMM
- Relationship status
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Wars and conflicts
- War
- Campaign
- Europe (Air) AWMM
- 1914-1916 AWMM Egypt AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- WWII NZ1081 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) AWMM
CMG awarded 1970 AWMM - Air Force Cross (AFC) AWMM
- Legion of Merit (USA) AWMM
Legion of Merit awarded 1944 AWMM - War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
- New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
- Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
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- Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 Second Lieutenant AWMM Royal Flying Corps AWMM
- WW2
3rd Embarkation AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
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Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW1 Captain/Military AWMM
Royal Flying Corps AWMM - WW2 Group Captain/Military AWMM
Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
- WW1 Captain/Military AWMM
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- John Seabrook was the eldest son of Albert David and Marion May Seabrook of 'Dreamwood Park', New Lynn, Auckland. Brother of Philip Seabrook.
Husband of Doreen Mary Alexa nee Carr.
He was educated at Avondale School and Auckland Grammar School in Lower Symonds Street.
Served with Royal Flying Corps in France, 1916-17.
Served with Royal Air Force in Middle East, 1918.
Founded J Seabrook & Co. in 1919
In 1927 he married Doreen M. Carr, daughter of C.E. Carr
He was the winner of the first New Zealand aerial Derby in 1929. He was a member of the founding committee of the Auckland Aero Club from 1929. He served first as club captain, then as vice chairman and then vice president.
Between the wars, Seabrook served as Officer Commanding (OC) of the RNZAF Auckland Squadron.
He commanded the RNZAF Station, Whenuapai, 1940-41 and RNZAF Station, Hobsonville, 1942.
Appointed Air Attache, Washington, DC and subsequently head of New Zealand Air Mission in Washington from 1942-43.
His business interests included being chairman of Austin Distributors Federation (NZ) Ltd and Associated Motor Industries Ltd, Petone, from 1950-1959;
Director, New Zealand Airways Corporation from 1952-1961;President of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Council from 1961-1963; Deputy chairman of the Blinded Servicemen's Trust Board; and he was also a member of both the Nature Conservation Council, Wellington and the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park Board.
He served on the Board of Trustees of the New Zealand Institute for the Blind for 24 years.
AWMM The Auckland War Memorial Museum Scars on the Heart 1 Gallery contains a photo of Captain John Seabrook standing in front of his BE C2 aircraft in the "Flying Aces" display.
"We wish to express the Institute and Museum’s appreciation of the service over many years of Mr John Seabrook, who did not offer himself for re-election at the Annual General Meeting. Mr Seabrook was active in the fund-raising for the erection of the War Memorial Museum after World War I, and served as a member of the Auckland War Memorial Committee, and as Building Committee Chairman, to raise funds for the additions to the building to commemorate the dead of World War II: he was also Chairman of the Citizens’ Committee to raise funds for the Auditorium in 1969. He was appointed to Council in March 1956, and served continuously as a Council member for 23 years; he was President from 1960 to 1964 and subsequently Vice-President. He was Chairman of the Finance Committee throughout his Presidency, and the passing of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Maintenance Act 1963 was a personal triumph for Mr Seabrook, whose leadership and efforts in approaching Local Authorities had contributed greatly towards the support necessary for the success of the Bill. He was appointed to the Trust Board in 1963 a position he still holds, and was elected an Honorary Life Member in 1964." Auckland Museum Annual Report, 1979–1980, p.11. AWMM - Correction: John's wife's name (my grandmother) was Doreen Mary Alexina Seabrook nee Carr
His business interests include forming the Seabrook Fowlds motor vehicle partnership in 1920 with Bill Fowlds and his younger brother Philip Seabrook joined them as an equal partner in 1922. This partnership continued until 1970.Public - Amanda Mary - Direct descendant - 20 September 2024 - Family Oral. I am his grandaughter.
- John Seabrook was the eldest son of Albert David and Marion May Seabrook of 'Dreamwood Park', New Lynn, Auckland. Brother of Philip Seabrook.
About death
- Death
- 8 Jan 1985 AWMM
Age 89 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
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- Death notes
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- Cemetery
- Purewa Cemetery and Crematorium, Meadowbank, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM Block J Row 5 Plot 96 AWMM
- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
- Obituary: New Zealand Herald, 10 January 1985
Jack Seabrook
Mr John Seabrook died on 8th January 1985. Mr Seabrook joined the Institute and Museum in 1939, became a Life Member in 1956 and was made an Honorary Life Member in 1964. Mr Seabrook served in the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War, and was awarded the Air Force Cross. He was active in the fundraising for the erection of the War Memorial Museum after World War One, and served as a member of the Auckland War Memorial Committee to raise funds for the additions to the Museum building to commemorate the province's dead of World War Two; he was also Chairman of the Citizen's Committee to raise funds for the Auditorium to complete the project in 1969.
Mr Seabrook was appointed to Council in March 1956, and served continuously as a Council member for twenty-three years; he was President from 1960 to 1964, and was subsequently Vice-President for nine years. He was Chairman of the Finance Committee throughout his Presidency, and the passing of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Maintenance Act 1963 was a personal triumph for Mr Seabrook, whose leadership and efforts in approaching local authorities had contributed greatly towards the support necessary for the success of the Bill. The 1963 Act laid a secure foundation for the museum's finances for fifteen years, and is the base from which the Museum's present empowering Act was developed. Mr Seabrook retired from the Council in 1979. He had been elected to membership of the Auckland Institute and Museum Trust Board in 1963, and he still occupied that position at his death.
In Jack Seabrook, Auckland Museum has lost one of its staunchest and longest standing members.
(Obituary: Auckland War Memorial Museum News, Number 21, April 1985) AWMM - Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
- New Lynn RSA, 2 Veronica Street, New Lynn 0600 AWMM
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Base records file 1919 - 1921
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R20799178
Further Reference - Base records file 1919 - 1921
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R20799178
Further Reference - Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Published on Te Ara, The encyclopedia of New Zealand online.
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4s17/1
Further Reference - Wikidata Entity
http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q23931385
Further Reference
- Base records file 1919 - 1921
- References
- Seabrook Fowlds Limited. (1969). Golden jubilee, 1919 to 1969. Auckland, N.Z.: Seabrook Fowlds.
- Dingle, Betty. Papers relating to John Seabrook and Seabrook Fowlds Ltd. c.1960-1985. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 91/29.
- Seabrook, John. Papers, 1936 - 1970. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 92/19.
- Auckland Grammar School Chronicle. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland Grammar School.
Auckland Grammar School chronicle. 1916, Second term. p.38; Auckland Grammar School chronicle. 1916, Third term. pp.44-45. - The New Zealand Herald
Obituary: New Zealand Herald, 10 January 1985 - Connolly, A., & Stanes, P. Rememberance: Auckland Grammar School Great War Roll of Honour. Vols 1 & 2. Auckland: Petand Prodctions.
- Royal New Zealand Air Force. (1941–1945). Contact: National magazine of the R.N.Z.A.F.; the official organ of the Air Force Association (Inc.). Levin, New Zealand: Royal New Zealand Air Force.
V1,n10,p11, V1,n11,p41
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